I Was Your Hero Once
by Lying In An Angels Arms
Summary: Slash! Wikus was the hero of the District, he was their hope of the saviours returning to earth to whisk them away, but as years passed, they grew to distrust him. Wikus still waits for Christopher, even as his life falls to pieces around him.
1. The First Year

**The First Year.**

For the first few months, Wikus had alienated, no pun intended, himself off from the other Prawns. Out of fear, or perhaps disgust, of himself and them. He would stumble from his shack, the one he had claimed for himself after the raid which lead District 9 to become District 10, he would leave only once at night to gather his daily ration of one can of catfood, then stumble home again. After the months had passed, and he had grown used to his new body, he began to leave to forage more.

Though he had grown used to his mutated skin, he still stumbled over his feet, more then he ever did as a human, and occasionally he would simply not hold enough energy to stand on his own two feet. Some days, he barely made it from his own house due to this weakness. Then, there were the other days, which were the real ones which made him sick to his stomach, they were the days when he could have passed as any other prawn. He walked like them, his accent had diminished, until he could have been mistaken for any other god damn, fooking prawn.

Those were the days Wikus hated himself and would lock himself in his home, without food or the disgustingly brown water that could be sourced from the taps, until he was so weak that his body felt alien again, and he barely had the strength to stand.

After months passed, Wikus began to integrate further into the inhabitants of District 10. They were like him, in some ways, all afraid for their lives. He would catch many of them looking at the sky, and he would stand next to them, and repeat the story he'd told a million times. The story of Christopher, of Oliver, and how they would bring salvation to them all.

For the first year, Wikus was the Prawn Messiah. They looked to him, not for guidance or protection, he was too weak to be of use for that, but instead, they would look onto him for hope. When he told them of how Christopher would return to save them, they listened, some cried, or did the Prawn version of crying which was a series of mournful clicks and whirls, and others embraced him, arms grasping onto his firm shell and holding tight.

The aliens should have hated it, for his past, but they didn't. Perhaps they were tired of fighting, or maybe he had won their trust in the raid of District 9. After the drama which unfolded after Christopher's leaving earth, they had been ordered by the government to move. District 10 was formed, as the Prawns trekked further out into the desert. The towns grew further and further away, and stronger fences were erected. They were electrocuted, and held barbed wire which would tear through even the Pawn's exoskeleton. Any idea of them being refugees was impossible now, they were prisoners. Guards patrolled the gates and fences, and all who tried to escape were shot. Only few humans were allowed in.

The first day of District 10, a rally of Prawns decided to storm the front gate, trying to find their freedom. All were gunned down, and left to rot as the guards refused to enter the compound. Wikus had watched their bodies rot, and after several days, grew tired of their smell. He had moved towards the front gate one morning, when everyone was still rising, and ignoring the calls from the guards to hault. He hadn't wanted to leave, he had wanted to...help, in his own way. He had grasped the first lifeless body of the prawns who had died, and began to pull it away from the gate. Falling to his knees in the dirt nearby, he began to dig.

Most had stopped to stare at him at this point but he didn't pay them any heed. On his own, on his knees, he dug a grave for someone he would have killed unhesitatingly and left to rot not a month ago. Now, he gently dragged the bloodied corpse into the shallow ditch, and covered the fallen male in dirt. The other Prawns had caught on to what he was doing, and moved forward, grasping various fallen men and together they buried them. Some Prawn, who did not help to dig graves, placed various objects over the disturbed dirt, like tomb stones. The first male was given a broken gun, which was not salvageable even to someone who was brilliant with repairs.

The humans had watched them in disbelief.

Prawns had no emotions, they didn't feel empthy and they had no response to pain. That's what the MNU said, and that's what the guards believed. If they didn't feel empathy, or pain, why did Wikus feel sad when he saw a female Prawn, as he had come to recognize the differences, kneeling by one of the graves and giving those mournful clicks that meant she was crying, in her own way. No one moved to comfort her, but allowed her to cry, while they gazed at the graves.

From that day, anyone who died, whether by the guards or lack of food, was given a grave. It became their cemetery. They would not be thrown into the junk pile, or left to rot and feed the hungry birds. They would be buried.

Wikus was looked at with new respect after that, though it was only months later that he began to appreciate that respect.

"Wikus!" A familiar voice called to him, one day when he was collecting his cat food rations. Raising his head, he watched a figure move towards him. It was Janine, named by the humans, a prawn who had taken a liking to Wikus. She had five children of her own, though the humans only knew about two of them, or they would have killed the others.

She reached his side, taking her cat food with a grateful nod before they moved out of the line. "John spoke today," she said, sounding proud. John was her youngest, and had been the only surviving egg out of a den of fifty, after the guards had set fire to them.

"Already?" Wikus asked, trying to keep his voice interested but having a feeling he failed. They were prawns still. Fooking, dirty prawns. He wasn't one of them, so why should he care that some spawn said it's first word?

"He's already two weeks," Janine said, giving him an amused look. "Your human mind is still present I see. We walk at one week, and talk at two, or at least, we start to. Guess his first word, Wikus!" She prompted, undeterred by his following silence. They had reached the slum area of the district, which was, all of the sleeping dens. There were prawns lurking at every tent, eying them as they past and Wikus tightened his hand on his cat food.

"Wikus," Janine said, regaining his attention. There was a strange look to her eyes. "He said _home_, Wikus." She gave a light trilling click. "Home," she repeated, almost on a sigh. "_Home."_ He recognized the look in her eye, it was need. Not a physical need, but emotional. She just needed to hear it, one more time.

"They are coming back," Wikus said, firmly, as they reached his tent. "They are."

He didn't promise her she would see her home again, it was implied, and he didn't promise she would be safe until then, because that was foolish tripe. There was no guarantees in District 10, you just lived one day at a time.

Janine's desperate look faded, a little, and the happy clicking noise returned. "I know, and so does John. Stay safe, Wikus." She left without a backwards glance, the patch of fabric that concealed her modesty, a human ideal, was stained with dirt and hung loosely from her boney waist. She was starving to death, for her children, and Wikus didn't know if she would ever see her home again, at this rate.

Wikus didn't know anything.

Slipping inside his tent, he opened the cat food and settled on the futon mattress to eat it. It was cold, and glancing at the label, he spied a picture of a fish. Yum, tuna. After a few weeks, the food had become familiar, and it wasn't a fight to eat it anymore, but he missed real food, like steak.

Curling up on his futon, the empty can discarded in a pile nearby. He didn't know what he would use the metal of the cans for, but he kept them anyway. Piles of junk littered the tent, things he may one day have use for, like an old electrical cable, a butter knife he found at the fence line, and a length of fabric which could make a good bartering tool with any of the female prawns if they had something he needed some day.

Some day.

He was thinking ahead. He hated doing that. It meant that he was planning for a long stay, in District 10, when all he wanted to do was go home.

Home.

Tania. Tania was his home. His sweet, blue eyed, golden haired angel. He missed her so much he ached some days, and as he curled into himself, pulling the sheet of material which acted as a blanket up over his arms, he thought of her.

He could see her revealing a cake for his birthday, which she hadn't made but had commissioned a wonderful baker to make it. It had been beautiful, and her eyes had shined in delight as he muttered compliments over it. She couldn't have been more proud, even if she had made the cake herself.

It was the simple things which had made Tania happy, and Wikus missed those little things. Like sleeping in, and steak, and blue eyes gazing down at him when he woke every morning. It was the simple pleasures of being human that he missed, not the idea of humanity.

Many months later, towards the end of the first year, Tania had visited District 10, to find Wikus. At first, he had hidden from her, afraid of her disgust at seeing what he had become. When she had grown desperate, wandering further and further into the slums, he had given in.

Grabbing her wrist, he hadn't thought for a second that she may not recognize him, so her scream startled him. The guards began to shout, and pointed their guns at him through the nearby fence, taking aim. He clicked loudly, hurriedly, trying to catch his Tania, his angel's eyes. It took a few minutes, of screams and shouting, before she recognized him. Her wide eyes grew wider and she choked out, "Wikus?"

He had released her, nodding and watching as she screamed at the guards to put away their weapons, before turning back to him. "Wikus...I...I," she stammered, gazing at him with a look that spoke of sadness, and fear, and something Wikus hadn't seen in so many months, love. "Oh, Wikus," she gasped, and pushed herself into his embrace. He had clutched at her, with all four arms, trying to hold her as close as he could. They stayed like that, and he felt her shuddering and shaking, until she finally pulled back, gasping. "I-I can't!" She moaned, burying her face in her hands as she rested back against a nearby tent. "I can't! I want to, I love you! but I can't!" The sounds of her sobs tore at his heard and he tried to pull her close again, but she avoided him.

Her beautiful face was blotchy with tears and her makeup had smeared. "I love you, my love," she whispered, shaking still, as she backed away, "but can't you see that I _can't?_"

Can't...what? He wanted to scream at her, but she was already running. She raced towards the gates, pleading with the guards to let her out, which they did hurriedly. Wikus ran to the fence, ignoring the shouts from the guards. Tania! My angel! He wanted to yell, accidentally touching the fence and sending shock waves racing through his body.

Soon, she was gone. A car had snatched her up and whisked her away, out of Wikus' life.

He did not see her again that year, nor the next. Not even on his final year on earth did he see her again, but he overheard a guard speak of her engagement when the second year had passed. The news would have broken him, had he not already been broken to start with.

**AN: **

**This story will be slash (Wikus / Christopher) . The rating will raise from T to M, but not until later chapters. **

**Updates will be as often as I can make them, hopefully every few days, or at least once a week. **

**Reviews are loved! **

**-Liaa  
**


	2. The Second Year

**The Second Year.**

By the second year, doubt had set in. When no mother ship appeared, and no saviors descended, Wikus was treated with suspicious and disdain. His words were not taken with hope as they had been before, but with cautiousness and fear.

'It isn't time yet!' Wikus had tried to defend himself, on multiple occasions. 'Give them more time!' Some had been willing, and would still allow him to speak to them, but others turned their backs on him and pushed him aside.

Janine had been the first to doubt, and her youngest son had not spoken another world, except for _home_ and it had only been once that he had said it. She blamed Wikus.

"My son doesn't know what his home is," Janine had screamed, when she entered his tent during the second year. "You said they would come, that they would save us, and take us away from here, but where are they? Huh? Where are they?" She had broken his collection of cans, stepping on them and slicing her own exoskeleton. She hadn't seemed to even notice. "Why aren't they here yet?" She had begged, when her rage had disappeared, and she clung to Wikus. The mournful cries had filled his tent for what seemed like hours, as he allowed her to lean on him.

He didn't comfort her, the feel of her exoskeleton against his own made him shudder, and he simply allowed her to cry into his shoulder. He was never good with emotion, especially of the female sort.

She left quickly, when he sadness was reined, but she paused at the door. She looked at Wikus, and he looked at her. It was silent, as he face scrunched up, with a look akin to regret, as she slipped from his tent. Just like Tania, he would not see Janine again, not until the end of the Third Year had come and passed.

He would see her in the years that followed the incident, out of the corner of his eye, as he collected his food every night, but she did not see him. She would keep her eyes averted, and made no move to talk to him. She had made her decision, and it was simply easier to push him aside, then listen to his words and believe him. By believing him, she was allowing herself to hope, something she simply couldn't afford with her children relying so heavily on her for support.

As Janine stopped believing him, everything began to snow-ball and suddenly, he was no longer their messiah. Instead, he was that crazy man he had always pitied, the one standing on the street corner, preaching that the world would end next week. Instead of the world ending, he was preaching of the saviors returning, and that they would come and save them all.

But, just like that man on the street corner, no one listened.

"Brother Wikus!"

Wikus raised his head, dropping the broken bottle that he had scrounged from the junk heap. A young Prawn had taken a liking to him, named Joseph by the humans. He reminded Wikus of Oliver, but there was no Christopher substitute, so it was not the same.

"Brother Joseph," Wikus returned the greeting, his voice harsh and rough from lack of use. He spoke little these days, unless someone spoke to him. He had found it tiring, trying to convince people who thought he was crazy that help was on its way. He would, on a good day, still try but it was getting harder to sum up that energy.

"Mother says I'm not to speak to you anymore," Joseph announced, crawling onto the junk pile with Wikus. "But I'm going to do it anyway." He puffed out his chest and Wikus wondered if he was being used as an act of rebellion, or whether Joseph actually wanted to continue their odd friendship.

"You should listen to your mother."

"What?" Joseph looked horrified. "Come on, she's old! She doesn't know what she's talking about. You're good, Brother Wikus, you're really cool." The idiom had been picked up from too many hours spent listening to the guards, Wikus thought, eying the young Prawn.

"Mother knows best," Wikus insisted, and tried to remember his own mother, but her face was simply a blur. The memories of his life before the District were becoming fuzzy and out of focus, like an old movie. Even Tania's face, sweet angelic Tania, was simplified down to simply the memory of golden hair, and the soft smell of lilacs. Why he smelt lilacs, he wasn't sure, as she hated the smell of those flowers.

"If you don't want me to hang around you anymore, you can just say so," Joseph pouted, but when Wikus said nothing for or against the young Prawn leaving him alone, he continued on. "Anyway, it's not like Mother really cares, she's got Marie to take care of, who is way more clingy then I am. Did I tell you I found a light bulb the other day? Mother was most impressed. Said it was a good find. Much better than that brat Marie could find. She didn't say that, my Mother, but I know she thought it. I mean, Marie just whines and whines and whi-"

Wikus didn't listen to the rest, occasionally nodding when their was a pause in the one-sided-conversation. He had never been good around children, though little girls were easy to interact with, he had found. He had always wanted a daughter. One with Tania's golden hair and that would smell of Lilacs. He loved that smell. Lilacs.

"Hey! What's that?" Joseph called out, pointing at the sky. Wikus shot to his feet and glanced up, shading his eyes with his hand. Was it Christopher? Had he returned? Was he going to be...no.

"It's just an airplane," Wikus ground out, spinning on his heel and stalking down the junk pile. "Just a _fooking _airplane." He kicked an empty can of cat food, watching as it hit the side of a nearby tent with a satisfying thud as he disappeared into the maze of tents.

"Hey! You shouldn't swear. I'm fooking impressionable, y'know!"

-

**AN: **

**Small update, but not much to say this chapter. Joseph won't be a major character in the story, but he will pop up every now and then to annoy Wikus, and he will feature quite a bit in the earth years. **

**Thanks for the interest shown so far.**

**Reviews are very much appreciated. **

**-Liaa  
**


	3. The Third Year

**The Third Year.**

The third year came slowly, sluggishly, like it was reluctant to be known. Wikus had exiled himself to the furthers edge of the district, trading his centralized tent for one of the outskirters tents, which suited him better. No one would talk to him, even the humans had begun to dislike him, though they still didn't know that he was Wikus Van der Wink. It was just the mood that he exuded, the glances that every cast at him.

Only Joseph would talk to him, and soon the young boy was forced to bring him his daily ration of cat food, as Wikus didn't leave his tent anymore. It made things awkward and stilted, and Wikus wouldn't speak to Joseph freely, but would instead offer monosyllable responses as he fed on tuna or beef loaf, or whatever the flavour of the cat food was that day.

"Do you think Christopher will return this year?" Joseph asked, now a rather lanky adolescent. He was sitting on Wikus' futon comfortably, eating his own can of cat food. Wikus eyed the younger Prawn, and tried to imagine Oliver. Was he like Joseph now? Tall, rather awkward looking and a little on the gangly side? He couldn't imagine it.

"Maybe," Wikus said, sounding unsure and hoarse as he settled himself beside the teen, his cat food clenched in one hand.

"Do you think he'll remember you?" The questions continued, and Wikus was thankful for the distraction.

"Maybe."

"Do you think he's had another kid now?" The question was asked with a kind of perverted glee and with a slight clicking snicker.

That was a thought that Wikus had never entertained before. Another child? Perhaps Christopher had taken a mate, and was not going to return anymore?

"Maybe," he forced out.

"Is that your answer to everything?"

"Maybe."

"Argh! You're no fun, Brother Wikus. Can't you tell me some more about Christopher?" The boy begged, eager for the inside scoop on the returning saviors.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I've told you everything I know."

Joseph rolled his eyes, flopping onto the futon with a expression was was universal, no matter the species it seemed, of teenage frustration. "Then make something up!"

Wikus resisted the urge to smile, which was an unattractive look on his new, or not very new anymore, prawn face. "Are you asking for a story?" Wikus questioned, throwing his empty can at the growing pile of cans. He had transferred them from one tent to the other, and now the pile had grown to cover most of the ten.

"No," Joseph denied, before admitting, "maybe. What do you think Christopher's doing right now?"

Wikus paused, closing his eyes. "Returning. He's returning."

Joseph stared up at the elder prawn, a look of surprise on his face. "You haven't given up hope, have you, Brother Wikus?"

"No, I've just given up on other people having hope."

There was a silence, then, "you're a good man, Brother Wikus. On our planet, you would be hailed a hero."

Wikus snorted, startled by the human noise in his prawn body. "For what? I've done nothing."

"You never gave up," Joseph protested. "That's gotta amount for something."

Wikus shook his head, pushing himself of the futon. "Just fook off, kid." His voice was gravely and rough.

"Fine," Joseph said, knowing there was no use fighting. He sprung to his feet, eying the elder male while standing tall, "but I still think you're a hero." He bolted out the tent door before Wikus could response.

"Hero? Fook no. Just some human, trapped in a fooking dirty prawn's body. I'm the opposite of a fooking hero," Wikus muttered, as he readied himself for bed. He settled himself on the futon, glancing up at the dark gray tent roof. "What the fook is the opposite of a fooking hero, anyway?"

He squeezed his eyes shut. "A fooking looser, that's what."

Days passed in the same routine, of being alone. Joseph would come every day, only for a little while, and would talk almost non-stop until it was time for him to leave, then he would run back to his own tent and Wikus would be alone again.

He refused to let himself crave the company of the prawn. He was better than that, but he knew he wasn't.

He just like every other desperate, lonely, fooking prawn in the District.

-

The pile of cans in his tent grew as months passed, and soon the third year was drawing to a close. It was one week, one week until the anniversary of when Christopher had left. Wikus felt fooking pathetic, remembering the exact date, but it was burned into his memory. He couldn't forget, even if he wanted to.

"Wikus!" Joseph chirped, pushing into his tent without waiting to be invited. "Mother says if I come visit you again, that I have to come live with you instead 'cause she'll kick me out."

The adolescent prawn sounded _far_ too happy about that prospect, even as Wikus blanched at the idea. "And you still came to visit me?" He shrilled, sounding understandably horrified.

Joseph looked stunned. "Of course! I like visiting you, Wikus!" He had dropped the respectful 'brother' months ago, without prompting from Wikus. Not that the elder male had actually liked the formality, it was the nerve that the adolescent had shown by dropping it without being told he could that annoyed Wikus. "You're one of my best friends." Wikus knew he was Joseph's only friend, but the thought that he was the best of the non-existent bunch was a nice thought at least.

"I won't let you live with me if she kicks you out," Wikus warned.

Joseph did the prawn imitation of a grin, which was, in reality, only a crinkling of his eyes and, to add insult to injury, the prawn _winked_. He'd picked up the gesture from the human guards. The boy spent far too much time watching them, and mimicking their gestures. "Sure," he said, sounding honestly skeptical.

"I'm serious, Joseph! Go home, or you will be without shelter!" Wikus scowled, and shoved the smaller body out of his tent, ignoring the squawks of the boy.

"I don't want to!" Joseph roared, as he stumbled from the tent, barely catching himself before he tumbled to the ground. "I hate her! She's stupid and fooking insane and-"

"Don't fooking swear at me," Wikus roared back, pointing a disgusting finger at the teenager. "Get the fook home now!" He felt like a parent. A scary, scary thought. What was scary? He felt like a _Prawn_ parent.

"You fooking human!" Joseph snarled, and backed away. "I fooking trusted you!" He turned and raced away from the tent. Wikus ignored the stares of curious prawns nearby as he ducked back into his tent. Human. It had been years since he had been called that, and Joseph was not even meaning it how it had used to been said. 'Human' was a prawn insult, he had discovered, for simple-minded, or bigoted prawns. It was used rarely but used strongly when it was said.

Wikus scowled to himself, the scowl looking terrifying on his prawn features, as he stalked the confines of his tent. It wasn't his fault that Joseph had been acting like an idiot, which meant it was utterly crazy for him to feel guilty, which he _wasn't_.

He threw himself down on his futon, dragging his sheet over his shoulders and over his head, ignoring that his toes poked out the other end now.

"Fooking hell, Christopher," he grumbled, "come back soon!"

He had taken to talking to himself, or rather, Christopher, about the second year of living as a prawn. It had helped, a little, to stave of the loneliness and insanity he felt lurking at the corners of his mind.

Corners of his mind, aye?

His mouth twitched, curling up painfully. A prawn's mouth wasn't meant to smile, he had discovered, but his human mind still wanted to.

"Clear a little space in the corners of my mind," he sung to himself, the human words not translating well to Prawn. "All I want to do is find a way back into love."

He could remember the song, or spattered lines of the song. He and Tania, his angel, how pretty she was, had seen it. It was a romantic comedy, which Wikus had hated at first, but had caught himself humming the songs in later days. Was he going crazy, remembering it now?

"I can't make it through without a way back into love, oh, ohh."

Maybe.

His angel liked the song though, his Tania. He would sing it for her. Maybe Christopher was listening too, somewhere in the universe?

"There are times when I don't know if it's real...or if anybody feels the way I feel...I need inspiration...not just another negotiation."

The rest of the song disappeared into humming, which had become a gargling noise in this new body. He fell asleep humming the song, chasing away the loneliness with memories of sweet melodies, duets and blond angels.

-

The sound of his tent door, the fabric rustling and opening abruptly, was what woke him. He jerked upright, reaching for the chunk of metal he kept beside his futon in case of gang-related issues, he was somehow not surprised to find Joseph standing there, two cans of cat food clenched in his hands.

He held one up, a peace offering of sorts.

Wikus sighed and motioned for the teen to join him on the bed. Together they ate the food in silence, and when Joseph did not leave as usual, and instead laid on the firm mattress of Wikus' bedding, Wikus politely said nothing.

Somehow, he had gained a tent-mate, and similarly, a bed-mate.

Was he cheating on Tania, he wondered, watching the youth sleep as innocently as a babe. Was she cheating on him? She had taken a new husband, as the human world had classed him as dead. Was there anything left to cheat on?

The golden eyes of the prawn fluttered open, and he scowled up at Wikus in a very childish way. "Why are you still awake?" He grumbled, shifting and burying his face in the futon mattress. "I can hear you thinking."

Wikus resisted a snicker and closed his eyes. It was the familiar presence of someone else in bed with him that soothed him to sleep that night, and the sound of another person's breathing other than his own, reassuring him that the world kept turning as he slept.

-

Joseph was gone by the time Wikus awoke the next day at noon, which was fine with Wikus. He slipped from his bed, and began to pace the tent, like always. His routine continued on, undaunted by this new addition, except now when he slept, someone else slept beside him.

It was only a small change, but it was a huge change.

-

Joseph talked non-stop on the day of The Anniversary, excited and worried, just as Wikus was.

Every Prawn stood outside that night, staring at the sky. They all knew what night it was. Wikus and Joseph joined them, sitting out front their tent and staring at the sky.

When dawn broke around them, they were the only ones still waiting.

And they waited.

And waited.

Joseph left to get their daily ration of cat food, and then they waited some more.

They slept outside, badly and in shifts so they would not miss the return of the mother ship, for four days.

Finally, on the fourth night, Wikus got to his feet when dawn began to break around them. To be honest, it was actually the morning of the fifth day, but the date didn't matter much to the Prawn. Wikus slipped into his tent, and after a moment, Joseph followed him quietly.

Wikus was sick of waiting.

Around them, a somber clicking noise filled the district, as the Prawn mourned the loss of hope.

-

**A/N:**

**Thank you for the reviews/interest in this story.**

**The Prawn in this story are not going to be hermaphrodites. I have nothing against people who write them as such, but in my opinion, it doesn't suit this story. Sorry to anyone who feels disappointed at this fact. The genders will be explored in more detail in later chapters, to explain these differences. **

**Random trivia time, Prawn are actually not based after actual prawns, but the Parktown Prawn, which are a type of cricket (kind of). They are pests in africa, held in similar regards to a cockroach. The weird stuff you learn from randomly wiki'ing movies! haha  
**

**Also, this story will not be amazingly long. I plan to hit around 50k words, but not much more than that. It's mostly for my own amusement/to get me back into writing. **

**Reviews/Feedback are loved, as always,  
**

**-Liaa  
**


	4. The Aftermath

**The Aftermath **

Despite his past, Wikus knew he would not be attacked by the Prawn, if he kept his head down and didn't unknowingly insult someone at least. He simply had to watch out for the humans.

This didn't mean he didn't keep a chunk of metal at his bedside, or rather, futon-side, in case one of the Prawn decide to attack him. He wasn't stupid.

He didn't trust the Prawn as far as he could throw them, even if they appeared to be rather nice creatures.

Rather oddly, Wikus had actually tried Prawn-throwing. The incident was purely by accident, when a youngish Prawn rushed him, running towards him with a warrior-like bellow. Wikus had reacted on instinct, grasping the smaller body and hoisting him high above him and sending him flying off behind him, into a pile of trash.

He had been horrified, it had only been a child.

The young prawn had laughed and clicked happily, racing back to ask Wikus to do it again. The elder hadn't, and instead, he had sulked in his tent for days. It happened in the second year, almost third year, of living in the district.

He hated that he felt bad for what he'd done, it meant he was sympathizing with the...the _things_.

-

"Wikus?" Joseph asked, as the third day of silence passed, a mourning period for their last hope of survival. "Why didn't Christopher come?" His voice was needy and desperate.

"Because he's a fooking asshole," Wikus said, voice hoarse once more. They laid sprawled out on the futon, staring at the ceiling. "A fooking, bloody, fooking ASSHOLE." He roared the last word at the roof, and felt Joseph startle beside him. He felt bad, scaring the kid, but he wasn't about to stop now. "How could he do that to them? To _me_? He fooking promise!" He sat upright, and began to pace the floor while Joseph watched. He gestured dramatically to the door, snarling. "What? Did he think I liked it here now? That I would be happy staying a fooking PRAWN, so he just decided not to come back? If I ever see him again, I will wring his fooking neck."

Joseph was silent, staring at the ground by his feet. "You don't like it here?"

"What?" Wikus laughed. "Of course I don't! I hate it!"

The boy clenched his hands into fist, and glanced up at Wikus. "So you want to be human again? Leave this all behind?"

"Yes!" Wikus announced firmly, not noticing the way Joseph had begun to shake lightly. "I can't wait until I can get out of this fooking body, and go _home_. Sleep on a real bed, for once! Have _walls._"

"FOOKING LEAVE THEN," Joseph interrupted him, almost on a below. "If you don't like it here, fooking leave!" He jumped to his feet, shouldering passed Wikus and flinging himself out of the tent, taking his own advice.

"What the fook? Joseph, get back here!" He roared after the adolescent, but ther was no answer. "What the fook is his problem?" Everyone knew what Wikus wanted. He wanted to go home, just like they did. They just had two separate homes. Joseph knew that. How dare he try and make Wikus feel guilty of his wants? Fooking prawn!

He sat on the futon, hard, and stared at the door of his tent. It was falling apart, tearing at the seams.

"A metaphor," he muttered, laying back on his bed. "A fooking metaphor."

-

Joseph did not come back, and Wikus did not go out to find him. Another young child, this time a little girl who's parents had spoken to Wikus before, began to bring him his cat-food every night. She wouldn't talk to him, just click in greeting, give him his food, and leave.

It wasn't the same, but it was enough.

Wikus did not spend hours worrying over the younger prawn, and he didn't wonder where Joseph slept at night. He didn't care that only his breathing filled the tent at night and he sure as fook didn't care that he had no one to talk to anymore.

If it wasn't for the little girl, he would have wasted away. He had been their messiah, then their crazy man, then their hero, and now...now he was nothing in the eyes of the Prawn. He was just another one, just as lost as they were.

-

One week after the day of Christopher's supposed return was to occur, the MNU raided the district. They had promised the people that they would not interfer with District-10, like they had with District-9, but really, how often to human's keep their promises?

The bellowing shrieks of prawn who protested the raid, as their tents were torn apart and searched, left in broken heaps on the ground. Wikus slipped from his tent, for the first time in days, and his breath caught in his throat when he spotted Joseph, standing, chin-raised and defiant as he blocked the tent of a local elderly prawn. The MNU men raised their guns, preparing to shoot, when Wikus raced forward, pulling Joseph from the way and stammering appologies to them.

"Keep your son out of our business," one of the men growled, shoving them aside as they stormed the ladies tent. Joseph yanked himself from Wikus' grasp, turning furious eyes towards him.

"Why did you do that? I was making a statement!"

"You were going to get killed!" Wikus snapped back, and shoved the younger male towards his own tent. "Get in there and wait our turn."

"...our?"

"...My. I said, my. Don't go thinking you get to lay claim on my tent just because you've slept here a couple of times," Wikus grumbled, slipping in behind the younger prawn and rummaging through his things. He grabbed the gun he had hidden in his tent, ignoring Joseph's gasp, and quickly dug up a box he had hidden under the dirt of the ground. He had just finished burying it and retook his seat on the futon beside Joseph when the tent door was ripped open.

"What are you doing in here?" The MNU men snapped. "Get out, both of you."

They obeyed.

Wikus wondered why they didn't check their records, and find that only he was meant to be living there, not Joseph. His Prawn persona had no son. Perhaps the MNU had stopped caring about the increase in population rate in the district now.

How sad. At the rate that Prawn reproduce, the humans would soon be overrun with them. Perhaps then they could forge a proper over-throw of the human government?

Human. The humans. When had he started referring to them as such? It was still his government. He was still one of them, wasn't he?

Beside him, Joseph sulked and waited, just long enough that the MNU had finished their raid, before slipping back into the tent. Wikus stayed outside, jaw tilted up and unconsciously mimicking Joseph's earlier pose.

"See that you and your son stay out of our way, Prawn," the human snarled. There was that phrase again, _the human_, not man...just human. Wikus grunted as one of them slammed the butt of his gun into his chest, causing a slight crack in his exoskeleton. He bent over, trying to regain his breath as it was forced out of his lungs by a second attack, to his back this time. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath as they finished off with a swift kick.

Wikus would have done the same thing, he mused, as he felt someone grappling with his arm, attempting to pull him into his own tent. It was the perfect way to take down a prawn. Catch them unaware, hit them in the chest, stunning them, then when they bent over to grasp their new sore, hit them in the back and knock them to the ground. It was the easy way of taking down the larger form. Of course, the kick had been unnecessary, but Wikus probably would have added it in as well.

"What, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Joseph snapped, as another Prawn helped drag Wikus into his tent. "You tell me to stay out of trouble, then go find it yourself? Thank you," he said, off to the side to the Prawn who was now slipping out of the tent. Wikus raised a hand, echoing the thanks, and the Prawn nodded, disappearing out to rebuild his tent.

Wikus' had fared well, compared to some others. The supports still held it up, though everything in side was smashed. Even his collection of tin cans had been stomped down. Now, really, that was just cruel. What use had they had to stomp down his cans? He hadn't been planning on building a space ship out of them, he was just...he was just...well, he didn't know why he kept them, but they were his property. Those bastards had destroyed it.

"Well?" Joseph prompted, when Wikus didn't respond to his question.

"I was making a statement," Wikus remarked, still slightly breathless as he rubbed his chest, where the crack had started to form.

Joseph stared at him, first like he was crazing, and then that odd crinkling around his eyes formed, and he laughed. He shook his head, glancing at Wikus like he was crazy.

Maybe he was.

What was his definition of crazy now? He was a fooking prawn. That meant he was probably full-blown, utterly and completely mental.

"Fooking human bastards," Joseph muttered, getting up to glance out the tent door. He unknowingly echoed Wikus' own thoughts, and the elder prawn hid a smile.

It was hours before the MNU were satisfied they weren't hiding Christopher somewhere in the district, as if the guards had missed the mothership's return and the Prawn had all decided to stay because of their hospitality.

Slipping out of his tent, watching Joseph disappear off to find his mother, Wikus prowled the district, watching entire families try and rebuild what the humans had broken. It was the story of their lives, on earth, repairing what the humans had broken, it seemed.

"Let me help," Wikus said, bending to grab a broken support of one of the families tents. They stopped and stared at him, the children curious and the parents suspicious.

"Why?"

He paused, and glanced around at the destruction wrought by humans. "because I was one of them," he said quietly, "but I am nothing like them."

The mother smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Good answer," she announced, foisting one of her young off on him to hold while she got the others to work. "You've done enough to help us, Wikus."

"I've done nothing," he pointed out, staring blankly down at the child he held. It was rather ugly looking. It made a clicking noise, chirping happily, and Wikkus amended his statement. It was just really fooking ugly.

"You tried, at least," the father chimed in, helping his mate to resurrect their fallen home while the children collected their belongings from the surrounding area where they had been thrown.

Wikus said nothing more, afraid of the realization which would come about. He spent the rest of the day helping rebuild what his people, the humans, had broken. He told himself it was because he wanted to prove that he was nothing like the man he had used to be.

That night, after all had resettled, Wikus laid with a Prawn beside him, and slept soundly for the first time in days. He dreamed of Tania, his angel, and of flying away.

-

The next morning, he awoke invigorated, but he still did not leave his tent. Instead, he settled himself on the floor next to his managed empty cans, and ignored Joseph as he tried to get him to go outside. For hours, he sat there, working the metal with his fingers and using whatever means he could to mold the material.

He could remember how Tania had looked, smiling down at him. He had dreamed of the day they had gone on a picnic together, curled up in the sun. She had laughed at all his bad jokes that day, and that night, she had laid beside him after letting him love her. It had been one of the happiest he could remember being, but he couldn't remember much of his days as a human.

The dream had changed abruptly, and when Wikus closed his eyes, he could still imagine the feeling of being free. Of flying. He had soared above the clouds, far from the district, until he was utterly alone. Instead of feeling saddened, in his dream, he had laid back and watched the sky. Clouds passed above him, as if days had passed as he laid there, until a tiny speck appeared in the sky. He had called out, as the speck drew closer.

It was one of the most exhilarating moments he could ever remember feeling, and his heart had skipped beats as he waited for the speck to come closer.

He awoke before the mother ship landed, but the feeling remained.

Christopher would return. He had to.

If Wikus didn't have his hope, he didn't have anything.

That night, as Joseph slipped into the tent, dragging his own futon mattress which he had salvaged from the dump, he spied something new in the tent. Beside Wikus, on the floor next to the mattress, a tiny figured stood.

Made only of cat food metal, the tiny, unmistakable figure of Christopher stood, watching over Wikus as he slept.

**AN: **

**Will try and update tomorrow as well, but I'm going to stay with my sister, so I may not find time to write. Will only be a few days wait anyway, if I can't find time. **

**Lots of things happen in the next chapter, including eggs, more metal molding and falling stars. **

**Reviews are loved, **

**-Liaa  
**


	5. They Set The Sky Ablaze

**They Set The Sky Ablaze **

Wikus fell into an easy rhythm with Joseph, one which mostly involved him ignoring the younger prawn and him doing the same. It wasn't a loving bond, or even really based on mutual trust, it was simply making do with what they had. Joseph did like Wikus though, and seemed content to fetch their food and spent many hours of the day and night cooped up in the tent with the sometimes surly male.

Wikus had taken to trying to say human words in Prawn dialect, to see if they transferred over. Some words obviously didn't, such as "Television" came out a garbled mess that left Joseph snickering. The younger Prawn would listen to the males rambling and let him know when something made sense. It happened rarely.

Soon, it had just slipped into Wikus saying random swears or dirty words, to see if he could find the Prawn equivalent.

"Boob. Arse. Onomatopoeia- " and the occasional random word was thrown in as well, just to confuse Joseph, but mostly for Wikus' amusement, "- Tit. Prat."

To anyone who understood what he was saying, it would seem like horrible things to say to an adolescent, but to Wikus it was the funnest things he'd done in years. A sad thought, when he paused to think, but at least he was finding amusement in this rather dreary life.

"What was that last one?" Joseph perked up suddenly, peering up from where he was playing with the little Christopher Action-Figure.

"Prat?" It came out nothing like the English word, and to Wikus it sounding like someone clearing their throat with a bad cough, ending in a click.

"That's similar, not the same, to our word for word for the Royals." Wikus snorted, laughing for the first time in weeks. "Why are you laughing? What does it mean in Human?" Joseph asked, eager to find out why his room mate was laughing so hard.

"You don't want to know," Wikus admitted, still snickering. Ah, that had brightened his day. He felt bad for laughing at that, but really, it was funny to him.

"You're no fun," Joseph protested, making the Christopher-Figure point at Wikus judgmentally.

Wikus frowned. "Stop playing with that, you'll break it." He scooped the metal 'toy' out of Joseph's hands, and placed it back in it's spot beside his futon. It had stayed there since the day he had been created, and that was where Wikus liked him to be found.

Joseph watched him as he carefully placed Mini Christopher's arms back at his sides with ease, and positioned him so he would face Wikus' futon. He didn't say a word, even as Wikus laid on his futon, staring up at the tent roof.

He knew better. Instead, he got to his feet and slipped from the tent and left Wikus to his thoughts.

"Joseph!" A familiar voice clicked and he glanced up, grinning at Amelia, who waved him over and greeted him with a warm embrace and a giggle as he refused to let go.

-

Wikus knew something was up when Joseph kept returning to the tent, smiling for days on end. It was getting rather annoying. The reason why became apparent when Joseph led Amelia into the tent one day, introducing her quietly to Wikus who stared at the fellow adolescent Prawn.

She was pretty, in a prawn way, which meant she was not immediately classed as ugly. Her shell gleamed a faint reddish colour and she wore a blue sarong tied around her chest and shielding her to her knees. She smiled at him, and joined him on the futon, staring down at the Christopher figure as Joseph sat on her other side.

"It's beautiful," she clicked, not glancing at Wikus as she extended the compliment. Wikus simply nodded, and glanced at Joseph, who was staring at him. He knew what the boy was asking, and he hated him for a moment.

"Yes," Wikus agreed, but he was not looking at Amelia, but Joseph. The prawn grinned and led her to his own futon mattress. The three spent the rest of the day in the tent, Wikus playing with scraps of metal and forming little sculptures. When he thought the youths weren't looking, he worked on a figurine of Oliver, as he had seen him last, which would eventually come to stand beside the Christopher statue.

Amelia and Joseph stayed on Joseph's futon, talking until well into the night, and when darkness embraced the district, she did not leave. Instead, she settled beside him on the cramped bedding and they fell asleep, the sound of two breaths filling the tent, even as Wikus remained awake.

Somehow, he had gained another tent-mate.

This was becoming a habit, a rather annoying one.

"You best come back soon," Wikus said quietly to Christopher, scowling at the metal prawn. "I am not going to run a Prawn Youth Hostel, if that's your plan. I won't. Two! Two is my limit."

-

The year passed slowly, and smoothly. The start of the fourth year was a little bumpy though, when Joseph approached Wikus and announced that Amelia had laid eggs and that Joseph was going to be a father.

Wikus had not been amused, and had in fact, been horrified at the idea of baby prawn's in his tent. In retaliation for this heinous act on Joseph's part, he had blocked the tent door and locked Joseph out for two days. Amelia had stayed in the tent with Wikus, looking amused at it, and took to sitting by the blocked tent door so she could still talk to Joseph, even if they weren't in the same space.

When the eggs had hatched, only two of the twenty eggs had made it full maturity. Neither of the hatchlings survived the first week.

Wikus, for all his dramatics and distaste of the idea of prawn babies, had not had to fake his mournful clicks at the news. He made the couple little figurines of their lost children, which they had taken in awe and sadness, thanking Wikus earnestly for the gifts.

They moved out two days later and Wikus was alone again.

"None now," Wikus spoke to Christopher, staring at the roof of his tent. "I kind of miss two. Four would have been alright to, but don't you dare tell them." He paused and closed his eyes. "Fooking hell, I am crazy." He rolled onto his side, staring at the metal figure. "You can't talk...you can't even hear me. It's just me...talking to me...in my own tent."

He hadn't hated the words 'me' and 'my' more in his life.

He missed the we, the us, the _our_. His Tania. Did she have another 'us' now? He knew she did.

He sighed, and closed his eyes, the sound of his own breathing filling his ears.

-

Wikus had grown used to being alone again, by the time the fifth year stumbled by. He still saw Joseph occasionally, and Amelia had tried for more eggs again, but none had reached maturity this time. Wikus made them a flower of metal this time, and they took it with the same earnest gratitude.

The idea that Christopher was still going to return was still in the forefront of his mind. Perhaps alien years were longer than earth years? He was sure that by the time the sixth year had passed, that he would see Christopher again.

Wikus didn't make it to the sixth year.

-

Wikus slipped from his tent and walked towards the junk pile. Reaching the tip of the heap, he took a seat and held his breath. It started slowly. A single speck appeared in the sky.

Then another.

And another.

Soon the whole sky was ablaze.

Lights were everywhere, like falling stars plumeting towards earth. It could have been a meteor shower, but Wikus knew it wasn't.

"They're here!" He bellowed, and as he turned around, he opened his eyes.

The roof of his tent met his gaze.

He swore loudly, in both human and prawn swears, as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. The blankets pooled around his waist and he placed his head in his hands, elbows resting on his thighs.

"When are you going to wise up, Wikus?" He muttered to himself. "They're not coming back." He ran the hand down his face, and rubbed his closed eyes.

A faint noise registered in his mind.

A distant clicking noise, which was gaining in sound, caused him to frown. He couldn't hear what they were saying, only that many Prawn were saying it. He got to his feet, pushing aside the door of his tent.

One hundred falling stars, merely specks in the sky, greeted him as he glanced towards the sky.

"Christopher," he whispered, even as all hell broke loose around him.

The falling stars, ships he vaguely recognised, were slipping in closer to earth. The human guards had seen them coming and were now pushing through the crowd of Prawns, trying to regain order as they scrambled to gather physical possessions and family members close to them, awaiting to be taken home.

A small riot had started, where the Prawns were pushing back, as the humans tried to push through the crowds. The noise was defeaning now, the excited noises rising to great the alien ships. Wikus didn't know how to feel.

Years.

Fooking years of waiting came down to this one moment, and he was left motionless.

What was he going to do? Would Christopher come and find him? Did he have to go onto the ships? Would they refuse to grant him entrance? He wasn't a prawn! He shouldn't get on those ships.

The decision was taken from him, when a familiar figure slipped through the crowd. "Wikus!" Joseph called, pulling Amelia along behind him, so she would not get lost. He grabbed Wikus with his free hand, grinning in such a way that was almost painful. "They're here! They're here! We're saved!" He grasped the elder male in a firm hug, which Amelia joined only seconds later, and they stood there, waiting for the first ship to land.

Prawn flocked to it, and it was a mad scramble to get inside the ship. A second landed, then a third. As soon as they were full, they took to the sky again, disappearing off to find the mother ship that Wikus assumed was out there somewhere.

"Come on," Amelia said, pulling Joseph away from the tent. "It'll be our turn soon!" She was eager to reach the ships and Joseph followed without protest.

He glanced back, when Wikus did not follow. "What's wrong? Come on, Wikus!" He held out his hand again, waiting for Wikus to grab hold. Instead, he shook his head and stepped back.

"Go on ahead," he forced out, voice hoarse. "I'll be along in a minute."

Amelia had to pull Joseph away in the end, as the male was reluctant to leave Wikus but soon they were swallowed up by the crowd. Wikus glanced at the beautiful lights which filled the sky, and back at his tent, slipping inside. He grasped the tiny figure of Christopher in one hand, and one of the many flowers he had made for Tania in the other hand. Carefully, with firm but gentle hands, he crushed the metal until only lumps of scrap remained.

He let them drop to the ground, as they wobbled and rolled, collecting dust and dirt.

It was over.

It was finally over.

They had come back and they had found the new District.

They were all saved.

So why did he feel lost?


	6. Leaving Paradise

**Leaving Paradise  
**

Wikus stared at the sky. The humans, it seemed, were too afraid to approach the District due to the ships, and had fled almost immediately when the Prawns had pushed back at the human guards who had attempted to regain 'order' to the District.

Now the ships were coming in fewer waves, the prawns were slowly disappearing onto them and still, Wikus remained. He didn't push forward, he didn't scramble. He just...stood there, and waited. For something he wasn't sure was even coming anymore.

"Brother," a click sounded and Wikus turned his head, staring at the prawn who was approaching him. He vaguely remembered him from the District. He was an older Prawn, one of the remaining few who had landed here all those years ago. "It's our turn next."

Wikus glanced around. There was less then a ship-full remaining and they were the older ones. The ones who could remember their planet and knew the hardships they had faced on this one, but were still reluctant to leave. Perhaps they were afraid of change, of the same thing happening again when they stepped back onto the ships.

"I'm afraid I..." Wikus said, attempting to explain but he trailed off and realised that it basically summed it up. He was afraid.

The old prawn laughed, but it was not a mocking sound. "So am I. Come, Brother, afraid or not, we still must go."

"Why?" Wikus asked, grasping at straws, some reason for him to stay. His salvation was only seconds, steps, moments away and yet he couldn't force himself to take that plunge. "Why must I go?"

He felt a hand clasp his shoulder and the other prawn met his eyes firmly. "Why not?" He said simply and Wikus was silent.

Why the fook not?

His Tania, his angel. His family. His job. His...his everything was gone. His humanity was long gone now.

He raised his face, staring at the sky. His only chance at getting that back was somewhere in that big wide sky. He sucked in a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut so tight he could still see the stars.

"Let's go," Wikus said quietly and got to his feet. He walked beside the elder Prawn, and they coaxed the last few stragglers into their group and together they approached the ship. The rescuer Prawn, which Wikus had taken to call them, stood patiently as the group hesitated.

Beside Wikus, an elderly female grasped at his arm, shaking lightly. He looked at her, reading the fear in her eyes and he covered her hands with his. She looked up, her eyes pleading for something Wikus didn't know if he could deliver. "We'll go together," Wikus assured her, and together, a Prawn and a former human, took the first step. He felt the light metal beneath his feet, and for a moment, he expected it to bend under his weight. It didn't, and instead held fast as he and the elderly Prawn led their group up and into the belly of the ship.

Inside, it was like something from a sci-fi movie. Wires, flashing lights, little screens, calculations everywhere. There were seats in the center, and they immediately sought them out. Once they were strapped in, the Rescuer Prawn started the ship. It was horribly silent, even when the engine started and it was like they were floating.

Wikus knew the second the ship left the earth, he felt as if his stomach had stayed on the surface and the rest of his body had left it there. Was it his stomach, he wondered, or his heart?

His head dropped back against the seat's back, and his eyes drifted shut.

"Are you alright, Brother?" The elderly female he had boarded with asked, touching his arm. He didn't open his eyes.

"I don't know, Sister."

She laughed and Wikus opened his eyes to see her in the same position he was, closed eyes and all. "It's terrifying but exhilarating, isn't it?" Her eyes fluttered open, and they stared at each for a minute. "We're going _home_, Brother. I didn't think I would ever see the inside of this ship, or, heaven willing, our planet again. I'm...amazed that I got this far."

"And you'll get further too, Sister," one of the Rescuer Prawn cut in, glancing over his shoulder as his fingers furiously typed on one of the screens. "We'll get you home, I can promise you that."

The woman made a slow clicking noise, it sounded like a sigh but it was deeper than that, more meaningful. "Thank you."

Wikus felt like an interloper.

He wasn't going home, he couldn't share her experience.

He was leaving his home. It was a completely different feeling.

-

After a minute, they mentioned they could get up and go to the windows, to see the earth one last time before they left it completely. Wikus was the first on his feet, but the last to the window. Peering out the clear material that was the window, he could see the planet getting smaller. His heart was lodged in his throat as he placed his hand to the window.

"Goodbye Tania," he whispered softly. The Prawn beside him pretended not to hear him. "I'll be back home soon, I promise." He stayed at the window long after the others had returned to their seat, staring at the fading earth.

"Brother, are you alright?" One of the Rescuer Prawn asked, coming to his side after another few minutes had passed. "You look unwell. Take your seat again, please. The first trip is always the hardest, especially in this tiny contraption. You'll feel better when you're on the main ship, it's a much smoother ride." The Prawn took his arm, leading him back to his seat and helping to buckle him back in. He offered a drink which was a suspicious orange colour but tasted of human apples. It was sweet and sour, and slightly bitter, but oddly addictive.

A sudden crash caused him to jerk his hand, spilling some of his drink onto the metal ground.

"No worries," one of the Prawn clicked soothingly. "We're just boarding the mother ship now, it won't be long and you'll be safely tucked away from that horrible planet."

That was a scary thought. Wikus was hanging in space now, far from the world he had always known and clinging desperately to the hope that he would find someone he knew aboard the ship. What if their carrier hadn't made it? What if he made it there and he was all on his own in a sea of Prawn?

The fear was laid to rest when the doors to the carrier ship opened and a familiar voice called out, "Wikus!"

Joseph had waited at the loading port and caught him in his arms as soon as Wikus stumbled down the ramp.

"That's so sweet," the elderly Prawn clicked as she walked passed, "Your son waited for you."

Wikus ignored her comment, clinging to Joseph tightly. "Amelia?" He asked, out of politeness.

"She's in the cafeteria, eating something that's _not_ catfood."

They laughed, harder than they should have for something so simply unfunny .

"Are you scared, Wikus?" Joseph asked, as he lead the other male towards the cafeteria and passed the halls full of Prawn. The noise was almost defeaning, the sounds of...of _happiness._ "I would be scared."

"M'not scared," Wikus protested, "I'm fooking terrified. There's a huge difference."

Joseph laughed again, and politely took it as a joke.

-

The cafeteria was packed, ironically, like a can of sardines. It was full of Prawn who pushed, shoved and otherwise elbowed their way towards the food. Wikus was not hungry, so he allowed Joseph to lead him towards the table where Amelia had saved them a seat each, with great difficulty judging by her haggard expression.

"Wikus!" she chirped, spotting them. She waved them over and they settled beside her. Wikus was amazed at how easy this gesture was. His two was back again. They were just in a different spot now. Instead of being on earth, they were hanging in space. How odd.

The idea of being utterly surrounded by Prawn should have made him nervous, edgey, but as he allowed Amelia to hand him some strange meaty looking substance, he found himself content in the presence of the happily clicking Prawn.

It was terrifying, he realised, in a completely different way. It was terrifying how easy it was...to pretend to be one of them.

-

"How is Christopher going to recognise you, Wikus?" Joseph asked, once they had eaten their fill. They stayed seated, much to the annoyance of Prawn waiting for a spot to open up.

Wikus frowned. "I don't know. He just will."

"Of course he will," Amelia responded promptly. "How could he forget Wikus? Six years isn't that long."

She was wrong. Six years was really, really, really long, but the sentiment was nice. He smiled at her, which she returned and Joseph rolled his eyes, the gesture picked up from the human guards which had really caught on with the younger generation. Wikus half expected the whole planet would be invaded with that gesture when the Prawn got there, which would be a funny sight...except Wikus would not get to see it, as he would be back at earth, happily settled back into his previous life.

"Oh! Look, Wikus. Are any of them Christopher?" Amelia gasped, pointing up towards the end of the Cafeteria. Several clean looking Prawn, obviously not from Earth, were draped in fine material which was wrapped around their shoulders. It did nothing to shield themselves, like the humans had forced them too on earth, but, Joseph whispered, it was to symbolize ranks. T

They were amongst the leaders of the ship, and Wikus scanned them desperately, trying to spot the familiar figure of the male he knew a long time ago, but he couldn't.

"No. None of them are Christopher," Wikus forced out, but paused as one caught his eye. He...looked familiar. He was sort of smaller than the others, and a little lankier, but...wait...

"No," he whispered, and pushed himself to his feet. "There's no way." He forced his way through the group, ignoring the way people shoved him, or how he could hear Joseph calling for him to come back, or even the fact his chair had been taken almost the second he'd left it.

"Oliver! Oliver!" He called out, as he approached, and watched as the smaller Prawn's head raised up, and stared directly at Wikus, a look of recognition passing across the eyes of the adolescent.

"Wikus!"

Wikus had never been so happy to have a Prawn in his arms in that moment as Oliver, accidentally slipped from his ranking fabric, latched onto Wikus like he was afraid of letting go. Wikus returned the gesture, holding so tight he was afraid he'd break the smaller creature.

He didn't pause to think how Oliver recognised him. He had just known, just like Wikus could recognise him, even after all the years had passed.

Prawn didn't see with their eyes to recognise others. It was pure instinct.

"Wikus, you're here," Oliver mumbled into Wikus' chest.

Wikus grinned to himself, his prawn mouth stretching painfully. Oliver was here.

That meant...that Christopher was there too.

He had to be.

**AN:**

**Thank you for the interest in the last chapter. Many more exciting things happening in the next chapter, including the long-awaited meeting with Christopher. Following chapters may be a little slow, my studies start back in a few days and I won't have as much time to get these out every few days. Weekly updates will probably start to occur.  
**

**Reviews are very much appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	7. Wave Goodbye To The Sky

**Wave Goodbye To The Sky **

Oliver, after a while, finally let go of Wikus, though it was with a great deal of reluctance.

"We're the same now!" Oliver chirped, and Wikus winced at the memory of those words, but they did not instill the same rage anymore. He was the same as the younger prawn. He was a prawn, but at the same time, he wasn't. The confusion still ran rampant.

"We've always been the same," Wikus pointed out, elaborating at the confused look, "prawn or human, we're the same. It just no body else can see it yet." Maybe all the humans should be turned to Prawn, and all Prawn to human, and then they would see the similarities.

Oliver smiled. "Poleepkwa."

"What?"

"That's who we are. We aren't Prawn, that was our enslaved name. We are the proud Poleepkwan race."

"Poleepkwa?" Wikus repeated, the foreign word familiar on his alien tongue. How odd. His mind did not know the word, but his body did. "I like it better than Prawn."

"Me too," Oliver agreed rapidly, nodding his head. He grabbed the sheet of fabric, hastily wrapping it around his shoulders again. "Come! Father will want to know you're here!" He grabbed Wikus' wrist and tugged him towards the exit of the cafeteria.

"Wait," Wikus protested, thinking of Joseph and Amelia. He glanced back, trying to spot them, but they had been swallowed in the crowd again. "...never mind." He allowed the boy to resume his pulling, practically dragging the elder Prawn...the elder Poleepwka along behind him.

"Tell me, what...what happened to Christopher?" Wikus asked, hesitating at the last moment. Oliver slowed, and his face twisted into a frown.

"It's best that you let Father answer that," the youth said seriously, before rapidly changing the topic. He began to prattle on about something or another, happily distracting Wikus from his thoughts. The endless chirping was familiar and made Wikus hide a smile.

It was all familiar to him. Strangely enough, it wasn't a scary thought. The familiarity was...welcomed.

He reached out his hand out, allowing his long fingers to drag across the wall of the ship, the metal feeling cold under his digits. He wondered if the metal would be as easy to bend as the cans of catfood would be. The clean, crisp metal would make wonderful flowers, he mused.

"Wikus?"

He glanced up. Oliver had paused. In reality, they both had paused, but Wikus hadn't noticed. They stood outside a suspicious metal door and Wikus swallowed.

"Is...?"

Oliver nodded, releasing his grasp on his hand. He walked forward, and touching the pad next to the closed door, he quickly tapped in a code of unfamiliar letters. The door slid open with an ominous hiss.

"Father's inside. Uh...you go in by yourself," he said, with a small smile. "Make it a real surprise, okay?"

"Surprise?" Wikus repeated, suspiciously stepping towards the open door. "Didn't he realise I would board the ship?"

"Uh, just...ask him yourself," Oliver announced brightly and pushed the elder Poleepkwan into the room, chirping, "have fun!" as the door slid shut and locked him in.

Wikus blinked.

Yeah. This was going to turn out well, he thought to himself with heavy sarcasm, taking his first glance at the room.

Vials and cases of foreign looking things lined the walls, gray metal tables littered the floor, positively covered in vibrantly covered liquid in glass bottle-looking-things. Now this was a scene that made Wikus really think of those bad Sci-Fi movies he'd watched as a teenager. The ones that made you laugh they were so bad, but you were secretly terrified of? Yeah, those ones.

Wikus stepped forward, his footsteps sounding loud on the metal floor. He reached out a long finger, cautiously touching the closest vial. Of course, what he hadn't expected was that liquid in the vial to _blink_ at him.

He gave a surprised chirp and jumped back from the table, stumbling and nearly knocking over what appeared to be a barrel of yellow...goo, that looked suspiciously of custard. However, the...custard appeared to be moving on it's own, which made Wikus fairly sure, that it wasn't custard.

It had, however, completely put him off the human substance.

"Oliver, what have I told yo-"

The voice was familiar and Wikus raised his head, his gaze slipping from the custardy goo to that of an even more familiar figure. He looked like most other prawn and he looked very similar to the last time he'd seen him, except now his exoskeleton practically shone with health, the white cloth draped around his shoulders symbolized...something which Wikus didn't know. He looked a little skinnier than last time.

Could Prawn...Poleepkwa's become skinny? They all looked rather emancipated to him, or maybe he'd only met skinny ones. Come to think of it, could they be fat?

A smash brought Wikus' attention back to Christopher, who had accidentally let go of the beaker in his hand. The red liquid hit the ground, shattering all over the floor and spreading like a stain. It avoided Christopher's feet, big and awkward as they were.

The silence between them was deafening, and Wikus continued to stare at the liquid, so he wouldn't have to look at Christopher.

The urge to speak, to say something to break the awkward silence overwhelmed something, so in his desperation, he blurted out, "that wasn't the cure, was it?"

The silence stretched out for a moment longer, before Christopher began to laugh. The clicks and whirls filled the room, and Wikus joined in a moment later. It was relief, pure and simple. Wikus barely saw Christopher start to move until he was right in front of him, and for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Wikus was embraced by a Poleepkwa.

"Wikus," his name sounded odd from the mouth of Christopher. It sounded more guttural, more...heavy, like it should mean something more to him than it did. "You're alive."

Wikus had lifted his arms and had coiled them around the slender figure of the fellow Poleepkwa, unaware that his body had been doing it until after he felt the cool smooth shell under his hands. "Alive? Of course I fooking well am! I couldn't fooking let them humans win!"

Humans. There was that word again. He was starting to separate humans and Poleepkwa more. The separation should have been an obvious one, but then again, here he was, both and neither. They were so similar and yet nothing alike. Hadn't he told Oliver they were the same not minutes before? How could two races be so similar...and so completely different.

Christopher laughed, pulling back but keeping his hands on Wikus' shoulders. "No fooking way, right?" It was the first time Wikus could remember Christopher swearing, and it startled a laugh out of him.

"Fooking hell," he said, unable to believe where he was. It was like a dream. "You look good, man."

Christopher smiled, his eyes crinkling and took a step back. He reached up a hand and touched his hand to the fabric which decorated his shoulder, which he hastily pulled off and threw it somewhere else. "You too. The transformation went well, I see."

Wikus had cataloged all the changes to him, and all the differences between him and the other Poleepkwa already, so he knew what Christopher saw. Wikus was slightly smaller, his feelers were not as properly developed and one of his hands stilled missed a finger. Other than that, well, he was exactly like every other creature in the ship.

"You could say that," Wikus said, evasively. The actual transformation had been painful, but the real pain had come afterwards, when he had to face the fact his Tania, his angel, hadn't seemed to want him anymore, not in this form. "The cure," he said suddenly, desperately, as the thoughts of Tania pushed forward. "Did you..." he couldn't bring himself to ask.

Christopher looked saddened by something, and nodded, hesitating. "Yes. I...I was able to work out something even though I..."

"You?" Wikus prompted.

"...We thought you were dead, Wikus."

That had not been what he expected to hear, and his eyes went wide. "WHAT?"

"We...got news, when the third year ended, that...the human-prawn had been killed in a raid. It was all over the human news," Christopher tried to explain. "It was the only way we were able to keep up with the news of our people, as our communications with the district had been destroyed. We all thought you were dead."

All. Who was 'All'? Christopher and Oliver. There was no one else on the ship who would notice his began to pace, amazed. Did...did Tania think he was dead? Did the whole human world think he was dead? How did he not know of this? He shook his head, and paused, to stare at Christopher.

"You thought I was dead."

"Yes." Christopher nodded, looking slightly mournful.

"You still made the antidote."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because we had to try, even if you...were gone, I had to keep my promise," Christopher said firmly, his jaw clenched tightly in his determination.

It made Wikus laugh. He laughed so hard that Christopher began to frown and stepped forward, leading him to a chair nearby.

All those years, Wikus had struggled to keep the faith that Christopher would come back, and Christopher...he had held onto the hope that despite everything, that Wikus would still be alive when he returned.

Hope and faith.

Emotions felt by fooking prawns.

Who would have thought?

-

**AN: **

**This chapter was originally longer, but I split it so I was able to post this now, and still have a chapter in advance (as I like doing with shorter stories). School's back for me, so I would expect the next update to be on the weekend sometime.  
**

**Thank you very much for all the feedback for the last chapter.  
**

**Reviews appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	8. The Last Hoorah

**The Final Hoo-rah  
**

-

The odd-looking orange drink was pressed into his hand again, and Wikus eyed it suspiciously for a moment or two. "Is this...?" He asked, his voice slow and cautious.

Christopher gave a snort-like noise, that came out as a 'cliakkk' sound, before pushing the cup firmly into Wikus' hand. "It's just a drink. I would not administer the antidote without consulting you first."

Wikus believed that. Hell, it was Christopher. Their saviour. He wouldn't do something that underhand and disastrous, would he? No, of course not.

"What happened on the trip to earth?" Wikus prodded, his hands curling around the strange metallic-like cup. Was everything made of metal here? "Why did you take so long?"

Christopher sighed, and, after grabbing a cub of drink for himself, he settled in the chair beside Wikus.

There should have been more happiness, more joy in their reunion, Wikus mused. It should have been chirping, clicking and general joy. He should have embraced the other Prawn, holding on so tight he was afraid he'd break. There was none of that, and glancing at Christopher from the corner of his eyes, as the taste of apples burst over his taste buds, Wikus knew the story of their survivors return would not be a happy one, no matter how much it should have been.

"When we returned to our home planet with good time. It took us less then a human year to reach it. We were greeted with a heroes welcome...but when it was suggested that we returned to the enslaving planet to rescue our fallen brethren, the council's opinions changed, and we were treated with suspicion. They thought that we were trying to take more of our people back to be captured, and refused to send any army members to accompany us. If the humans had attacked, this ship is unarmed and we would have been shot from the sky."

Wikus winced. Good thing the humans didn't know that fact, else...well, things would not be pleasant.

"The council refused to let us take flight again for a few human years, insisting that if we were only on a rescue mission, that there was no rush for us to return. I tried to explain about my promise, but I felt uneasy mentioning _you_ to the council, so I kept my promise to you a secret. Oliver knew to keep his mouth shut as well. If they had known about you..."

Christopher trailed off and Wikus stared down at his cup. He had hated Christopher for more than a year after he had failed to return...he had been a prisoner on his own planet, unable to return, and Wikus had been hating him thousands of light years away.

"The return to earth took longer. Your planet is not on our maps, and has been avoided for many generations...we now discovered why."

They chuckled, perhaps a little darkly, at that.

"Oliver is quite adept at navigation and was able to remember some of the signs to allow us to navigate our return to Earth. Had it not been for him, we may not have made it in the time we did." Christopher paused. "Have you seen Oliver? He will be disappointed if he didn't see you before you...left."

"He brought me here," Wikus explained, realising he hadn't even said goodbye to the little Poleepkwa. He wouldn't see him again, if all went well...he wouldn't see Joseph or Amelia either. He clenched his hands, unaware that the cup had begun to bend beneath his heavy hands.

"That explains it then," Christopher said, with a small laugh. "He is the reason behind your...surprise appearance then."

"Yes," Wikus agreed, eyes crinkling at the corners. "He said he wanted it to be a surprise."

"It certainly was."

The silence was back, but it was not heavy or uncomfortable like it had been early. It was...peaceful, in a way. It stretched between them, like a tangible force and Wikus felt no need to break it, but as he finished his drink, he couldn't stay silent anymore.

"He's grown."

"Oliver?" Christopher clarified, looking bemused. It was strange being able to recognize emotions on the Poleepkwan face, but it was almost instinctual now. "It has been six human years."

"Human years," Wikus latched onto that. "Why do you keep saying it like that? Are Poleepkwa years so different?"

If Christopher was surprised at his use of the correct terminology for his race, he didn't show it. "Yes. Your year goes by quickly, ours is long and arduous. A Poleekwan year is equivalent to three human years."

"Two years...you've been gone two years."

"Two Poleekwan years, yes, but so much longer in your human mind," Christopher reached out, wrapping his clenched fist against the top of Wikus' skull, between his antennae. The gesture startled another laugh out of Wikus.

"Thank you," Wikus said impulsively, suddenly without real thought, unsure of what he was thanking him for.

"For what?" Christopher asked, as confused as Wikus.

"I don't know...everything?"

Christopher shook his head and plucked the cup from between his hands, getting to his feet and storing the sculpted metal into a chest-like metal storage...thing. "Don't thank me yet."

"Why not?"

"You haven't even tested to see if the cure will cure you or not."

"I trust you..." he said simply, before quickly adjusting it. "I trust that you know what you're doing, Christopher. You're the one who got me into this situation to begin with."

Christopher's eyes crinkled slightly. "Actually, Wikus, it was you that got you into this situation."

Wikus waved off the statement, "just pointless details." They both laughed at that, but the room fell silent quickly, and this time the silence was stretched almost painfully.

"Tell me more about Oliver," Wikus said, before Christopher could open his mouth, "you said he navigated you all here? That little shrimp?"

He was grasping at straws. He was filling the silence with the chatter he had always hated, nonsensical and useless, but it put off all the realizations he didn't want to face for a little longer.

-

As much as he wanted to, the silly chatter could only fill the void for a little while, and soon the silence had settled again. When he finally could not think of anything else to ask, his hands clenched in his lap and he stared at the surrounding brews of oddly coloured liquids.

A hand touched his arm and he jerked it away, instinctively, and his eyes sought Christopher. The elder Poleepkwa (well, actually Wikus didn't know how old Christopher was, but it just seemed right to think of him as 'older' seeing as he had been a Poleepkwa longer than Wikus had) looked concerned.

"Wikus?"

The question posed so many more than the obvious one and he sighed, getting to his feet. "You better show me this cure then, shouldn't ya?" He said, forcing a grin to his face, forgetting that his mouth was not human yet, and probably displayed a quite disgusting face. Christopher snickered, and got to his feet as well, seemingly cheered by the hideous face.

"I kept it in a safe place," he told Wikus, leading him further into the room. It was like a maze of things Wikus didn't know the names of and probably never would. "These are all ingredients to brews to cure the common ailments. Your ailment was a little more serious, so I didn't' want the other Poleepkwa to stumble across it."

Other Poleepkwa. Damn. There was that thought of Joseph again.

"Ailment?" Wikus prodded, to fill the silence.

Christopher shot a strange look over his shoulder, and Wikus suddenly wanted to step back. "That's what it is, Wikus. An ailment. Like an illness that won't leave. The fuel should have killed you, or that is our belief, but instead your body changed, adapting rapidly to support the disease that was spreading in your body. If we Poleepkwan get it on our selves, it does nothing, because our body can support the chemicals. Humans...aren't designed for it. Instead of killing you instantly, your body adjusted to the poison, and changed so you wouldn't be effected by it."

Wikus was, admittedly and probably would good reason, rather stunned. He'd never thought of why his body was like this, only the frustration at being Poleepkwan, instead of human. "Do all humans do that, or just me?" He asked, the last part added as a sort of joke, but Christopher tensed.

"We don't know. We don't want to know. To test that we would have to subject multiple humans to the torture you went through. That's not what we want. We want to go home, Wikus, that's all."

Home. There was that word again. They would all go home and then Wikus would go home and they would all be home. It was just that their 'homes' were separated by a few thousand light years.

"I didn't say you did, Christopher," Wikus said quietly, trying to get the other male to untense. "I was just asking."

Christopher sighed. "You and your human curiousity, Wikus, you remind me a infant Poleepkwan with all your questions." It was a joke, a tease, a gentle taunt, and it made Wikus laugh loudly. The sound was almost deafening, so he stopped quickly, embarrassed to see a faint smile lingering in Christopher's eyes.

They had reached the back of the room, and pressing his hand to the gray material on the wall, Christopher watched as the wall lit up in various codes, he knew exactly which ones to press and when, and soon the wall slid open, revealing a single case containing a single vial.

It was all that would be needed.

Wikus stepped up beside Christopher, and stared at the vial that contained his salvation, his humanity.

There was no putting it off any longer. It was within his grasp.

Despite it's closeness, it was Christopher who finally reached out and opened the case, taking the vial in hand and stepping back. Wikus followed him, until they'd retreated to the front of the room, by the chairs again.

"Are you ready?"

A million answers flowed through his head, all of them centeralised around one word 'yes!' but in the back of his mind nudged the answer 'no' that just wouldn't go away.

"What will happen?" Wikus asked, staring at the white liquid in the vial.

Christopher stared at it as well. "I don't know. You could be cured instantly, or it could take days, but we will return you to earth as soon as we can, and after you've finished transforming back. There..." he paused. "There is one side effect, Wikus."

Wikus half-expected there would be, and he clenched his fists, not looking away from his humanity. "What is it?"

"You won't remember being Poleepkwan."

No.

That meant...

It couldn't be.

Six years...Six years of his life...would be_ gone_?

-

**AN**:** I love writing Wikus, he's such a hypocrite. **

**Thank you to all the reviews/interest in the last chapter, glad people enjoyed the meeting. **

**The next chapter is the cure-scene, for those interested. **

**Reviews are loved,**

**-Liaa  
**


	9. Why Are You Running Away?

**Why Are You Running Away?**

Years ago, when he had been still adjusting to his new body, when the hurt from his Tania, his sweet angel's rejection, he would have scoffed at the idea of missing six years of his memory. It would have been worth it, to return to his former life. With Tania, with his family, with his humanity.

But now?

Six years was a long time.

What of Christopher? What of Oliver? Joseph? Amelia? Could he...really _forget_ them all? They were Prawn. They shouldn't have mattered at all. Sub-human life-forms that barely felt emotions.

How could he expect them be easy to cast aside, as if they didn't matter, when they were the only ones who had stood by him, believed him...believed in him. He had been crazy to everyone else, except them.

Tania hadn't believed him, hadn't loved him in this body.

She was his humanity, the idea hanging just out of reach, so tempting. So taunting.

Wikus stared at the vial that was held in Christopher's hand, and without his consent, he felt his head nod. His mouth, foreign and heavy, the clicking noises of human words said as Poleekpwan, saying, "I understand."

Christopher seemed to stare at him, as if searching his face for something Wikus knew he wouldn't find. His doubt, his horror, was buried so deep within his human mind that the other male wouldn't be able to see it on his Poleekpwa face.

"I'll just prepare the syringe," Christopher said quietly, turning his back to the other Prawn as he busied himself, his voice tinged with an emotion Wikus couldn't place but it sounded similar...almost like disappointment. Had he disappointed Christopher?

Why? He was only doing what he had always planned to do.

He would be cured. He would go home and then they would go home and everyone would be happy and home and everyone would be happy in their homes.

Wikus watched the Prawn's strong shoulders, the outer shell of his body shining in the artificial lights, which, now he looked, looked like a few hundred glow-bugs shoved into a tube. How odd. Christopher was the typical Prawn, he had learnt after years in their presence and really _looking_ instead of just glancing. Christopher wasn't strong, or large, and he looked a little fuller now that he was eating properly on the ship, but Wikus assumed the other male would always be slender.

His shell was a dark black, but it glowed a goldish brown in the right light, and his hands were long and dexterous, grasping various instruments and joining them together as he readied the cure.

It seemed important now, Wikus thought eying the Prawn who was responsible for all of this, to memorize him.

He would forget him soon enough, this was his last chance to know him, really _know_ him. His face was solid, no hint of human softness anywhere, and those large eyes should have terrified him, but now they pierced him, because he saw the disappointment there. The regret.

Wasn't that Wikus' part?

"Ready?" Christopher asked, holding a syringe in his hand which was not too different from human ones, except larger and heavy duty. The needle was flat, only a small hole allowing little liquid to pass through, but the small size was likely due to the fact they had to worm the needle between plates of shell to actually pierce flesh.

No, Wikus wanted to scream. It was all happening too fast, but Wikus nodded 'yes' anyway.

He held out his arm, like he would when visiting a human doctor, but Christopher looked amused, and shook his head.

"No, come with me." He motioned for the other Prawn to follow him and led him over to the ominous metal table nearby, reminding him briefly of the MNU, and he took a step back unconsciously.

A flash of something akin to sympathy was visible in Christopher's eyes, if only for a moment, as he took Wikus' arm and gently guided him to the table. "Lay down. This must go between your chest plates, else the cure will take too long to react and it's potency may be lost."

It sounded like useless medical mumbo-jumbo, and Wikus felt no need to doubt the other male, so he allowed himself to be gently pressed back on the table, and he closed his eyes.

This was it.

He was minutes- no, s_econds_ - away from being human again. He couldn't wait to feel his toes again, be able to smile, to laugh...to scream.

He would scream.

He knew he would, seeing Christopher's face without any memory of the times he'd shared with the other male.

Would he lash out, try and hurt the other male?

He would.

He knew he would, and that was a hard pill to swallow. He would hurt the man who had only tried to help him, and as Wikus opened his eyes, watching as Christopher stared at him, that strange look on his face again, Wikus didn't want to hurt him.

"When I wake up," he said, quietly and seriously, "I don't want you near me."

Christopher's face seemed devoid of emotion and he nodded, but Wikus didn't want there to be any misunderstandings. There would be plenty of those when he awoke human again.

"If I wake up...y'know, without memory, I'm going to be scared and I don't want human me to lash out and hurt you."

Realisation seemed to dawn on the other's face and he looked faintly amused, in a saddened way. "Your human hands wouldn't hurt me. They'd be too fleshy and meaty to do any real damage."

True, Wikus thought, staring at the males hard exoskeleton. It would be difficult to do damage when human.

More relaxed now, he nodded, closing his eyes again.

He felt, rather than saw, Christopher hesitate.

"You will keep your eyes closed then, the whole time?"

"Yes."

It would be easier that way. He would simply...no longer exist as a Prawn, it would be like he simply faded away. It was easier than saying goodbye, easier than looking Christopher in the face as he lost his Poleekpwan features and regained his humanity.

"Goodbye Wikus."

Now _that _made him open his eyes.

Christopher was watching him with the emotion Wikus could only see as regret. Wikus tried to smile, but the result was that hideous parting of his mouth, revealing the weird mandibles and lots of saliva. Christopher seemed startled as they both began to laugh, the clicking noise filling the room.

Wikus stared at Christopher, as the laughter disappeared, and he closed his eyes.

It was over.

He was going home.

He could feel the press of the needle between his chest plates and held his breath.

Oliver. That little runt. He'd grown up, and, while he was still a little on the small size, he would grow up to be a good Prawn....Poleekwan. He would be a good navigator too, if what Christopher said was true.

Christopher...he had the brains of a thousand humans put together, and yet he had spent his last few years working on Wikus' cure instead of helping his people. Perhaps he had done that at the same time, Wikus didn't know, and hadn't thought to ask. He was scientific, and well versed in medicine, if the other various ailment cures scattered around the room were anything to go by. He would cure his people of all thiere illnesses, Wikus thought, with a hint of almost pride.

His people. Would Christopher know to take special care of Joseph and Amelia? No, he wouldn't. Not even Oliver knew of his attachment to the young couple, and they would be pushed aside with ever other returning prawn, treated with suspicion. What were they going to do? He knew they wanted a family, but being back on thier home planet, whatever it was called, would make it hard. The change in lifestyle would put strain on them, and without Wikus...

He wondered if they had his metal figures still. Would they remember him, after he had forgotten them?

The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and Wikus still held his breath. He had to say goodbye to them, he realised, before he didn't know who they were to say goodbye to.

_Goodbye Amelia...Goodbye...J-Joseph...Goodbye Oliver....Good...goodbye Chris. _

That was over. He could go now, unburdened by the thought of leaving without goodbyes.

He had made his peace, now it was time for him to go home.

Home.

Tania. His Tania, his angel. She was so beautiful. He knew she was beautiful, her hair had been what captivated him the first time. Why had someone so beautiful as Tania fallen for someone as hideous as Wikus? He had never understood.

She was married again now.

He had heard it from the guards in the district. Wasn't there something about...expecting a child too? It tingled int he back of his mind, the thought that she was happy now, that she was settled again.

Six years...gone. He wouldn't understand why she didn't love him anymore.

Wouldn't understand why she would likely scream when he showed up at the house they had spent their lives together in.

She had another mate. She had replaced him.

Could he really put her through the shock of him returning now? He loved her.

_God_, how he loved her.

He couldn't.

He couldn't do this to her.

The moment that had stretched on forever was speeding up, and Wikus felt the burn of the needle piercing his flesh beneath his shell, and his hand snapped out, grasping hold of Christophers and pulling the syringe away from his body. He ignored the pain that he felt as the needle left his flesh, ripping it lightly as it went.

Christopher gave a shocked exclamation and Wikus opened his eyes.

"I can't do this," he said, his voice hoarse.

He clenched his hand around Christopher's, which was still holding the syringe firm. The added pressure, and perhaps some exerted from Christopher, was all it took.

The vial shattered beneath their combined hands.

The milky white cure spilled between their clenched hands, and their skin seemed to ripple. The shell almost dissolved, fading away to reveal the pinkish flesh that was appearing rapidly on their hands. Wikus' alien fingers disappeared, and were slowly replaced with human ones, as the shell slipped away. Familiar human ones. They were like... coming home, but what shocked him was Christopher's. Christopher's hand had changed as well, and a human hand had been put in the place of the Prawn one, which had been there not moments ago.

His fingers were slightly stubby, very square and obviously male. It looked like exactly like how a human hand should be.

Wikus stared at the image of his humanity, and his alien mouth opened, the low click was a mournful noise. It was like the mourning of the widows of the fallen Prawn on earth. He was crying, in the only way the Prawn knew how to do.

Even before his eyes, the humanity that had gathered in his hands began to shake and fade, the shell regrowing painfully beneath the skin, forcing the pink flesh to peel away disgustingly, like it had years ago, except so much quicker.

He purposely held tighter, as he heard Christopher's pained exclamation as his own shell began to regrow, and together they bore through the pain.

Wikus was forced to watch his humanity peel away from him again, piece by disgusting piece.

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for the interest on the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed my 'cure' scene, I did try to make it different from the usual ones and put my own twist on it, as so many stories have Wikus refuse the cure.  
**

**In the next chapter, Christopher gets angry, Wikus gets a hug and we see Oliver once again. **

**Reviews are very much appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	10. Simplest Mistake

**The Simplest Mistake**

.

As the pain finally faded away, leaving only a dull ache in it's place, there was a moment of silence, filled only by Wikus' heavy breathing as he attempted to stifle his former cries. Their hand's were still clenched together, though the human flesh had fallen away, revealing the glossy shell-like material again. Prawn hands. Disgusting fingers, firm palms and so cold to touch.

Then, after moment had passed in stunned silence, Christopher seemed to snap.

"Are you _crazy_? I cannot just...MAGIC up another cure, Wikus!" His voice was barely more than a hissing whirl as he tugged his hand free of Wikus', shaking the last drops of 'cure' from his fingers. "That took me _years_ to concoct! Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Wikus continued to stare at his very prawn-like hand silently, before the silence grew too heavy and he choked out a laugh. "I...said goodbye...to my humanity."

Simple as that.

Christopher stared at Wikus, who was not looking at him, and the silence stretched so long that Wikus finally raised his head to check that the other male was still there.

"Why?"

For a moment Wikus paused to think, but it was not out of confusion as to why he'd done it. He knew why. It was simple. He simply had to think about how to phrase it so he didn't sound like a rambling loon, which he feared he was going to do anyway.

"I love her." He turned his gaze back to his hand, clenching it experimentally. It was almost disappointing that it still functioned properly. "I love her so much...I can't expect her, after six years, to take me back and she...she was all I was going back for. I hated my job, my_ life_. She was my everything." Tania. His Tania. Sweet angel of his. "I can't expect her to drop her new life and welcome me home with open arms, not after _six years_." He lifted his head again, and now he met Christopher's eyes firmly. "I'm a fooking _Prawn_... but I love her." He repeated, and it was as simple as that.

He felt, rather than saw, as his eyes had drifted closed somehow, that Christopher hoisted himself onto the metal table with him, and Wikus sat up, so they were side by side on the edge of the metal.

"You can't go back now."

"I know."

"They would kill you, if you returned to earth in this form."

"I know."

"What now, Wikus?"

"...I don't know."

Simple.

.

Minutes passed, and gave way to human hours, as the ship hung in the galaxy, as if held up by invisible wires, just out of reach of earth. The general mood was happy, cheerful, and excited, but in the room in the back of the ship, filled to the brim with medicines and poisons to cure and cause all ailments, the mood was somber.

Wikus' head had lulled to one side, and was now resting on the other Poleepkwa's stiff shoulder. Christopher had tensed, but had not pushed him away, perhaps recognizing the need in the gesture.

He would never admit it, but sitting there, his mind a turmoil of emotions and thoughts which swirled painfully inside his skull, Wikus wished Christopher would raise his arm and embrace him, allow him to forget for a moment where he was and what he'd done.

It was a human thought, he realised, the need for touch, for comfort. It didn't fit in with the Prawn mentality. He needed to push that thought away, he knew, if he wanted any hope of being...like them.

He was them.

No humanity was left, no longer within his grasp and so far away that if he closed his eyes, he could swear he couldn't even see Tania's face anymore, though it was a lie. He remembered the face, the soft touch, but he could not remember the details. What colour were her eyes? What colour did she paint her lips as? Pink? But what shade? Lilac? No. Lilac was purple.

Christopher had felt him begin to tense, and raised a hand, awkwardly placing it on Wikus' head, just below the start of the antennae, where his human ear would be.

It was a comforting gesture.

From a _Prawn_.

Fooking mind blowing.

His shoulders slumped and he quirked a look up at the stoic face of the other male. "I'm going to hate myself some days," he remarked, and Christopher glanced down at him.

"Perhaps."

"A _lot_. There are days I will curse this moment...the moment I gave it all up." For fookin' _Prawns._

"Most likely."

"But I think there are days I will like it too." Such an odd thought that was. It came out before he was ready to admit it.

Now that seemed to surprise Christopher. "Really?"

"Yeah, but only sometimes."

Would it be enough?

.

A loud crash announced his entrance, long before the doors slid open to reveal the slender figure, to Wikus' dry amusement.

"Father! I wanted to-" Abruptly, the voice cut off at the scene that was before him. Wikus didn't raise his head, nor turn his eyes towards Oliver, knowing the shock of seeing Wikus, _prawn _Wikus, would be written all over his face.

"W-Wikus?"

Christopher made a silencing gesture to his son, as if he wasn't allowing the male to rest against him to seek comfort. Oliver blinked, and stood in place for a moment, before pushing himself forward and dodging the various shelves of vials and dastardly looking things.

He flung his arms around Wikus, almost knocking him to the ground, and dislodging his head from Christopher's shoulder. The smaller prawn was a welcome feeling, as Wikus looped his arms around the smaller figure, out of instinct then actual intentions.

"I'm sorry, Wikus!" Oliver muttered into Wikus' shoulder, as he squeezed tight. "I thought for sure it would work!"

Oh.

Oliver thought...that Christopher's cure had failed.

Well, it was an honest mistake. Wikus would have punched the first person in the face if they had told him he would have purposely sabotaged his only chance of being human again. Without hesitating.

"It didn't not work," Wikus said quietly, and felt Christopher touch his shoulder lightly, even as Oliver pulled back, a confused expression twisting his face. "I...said no."

In a very dramatic way, but simply explained, he had said no.

No to everything.

Oliver glanced at his father, as if to seek confirmation, to which Christopher barely nodded. It seemed to stump Oliver for a moment, before he smiled brightly at Wikus. "That means I can show you our home, right?"

And just like that, Oliver was happy and chattering on about the things he would show Wikus, now that Wius was no longer returning to earth.

Meeting Christopher's gaze, Wikus felt lost.

Could it really be that simple?

.

"Wikus is likely tired, Oliver," Christopher pointed out, after allowing the boy to ramble for a few minutes.

Oliver looked embarrassed, and slipped from the table, where he had placed himself between the two men without asking. "Is he going to stay with us, Father?" It was phrased as a question, but to Wikus it seemed like statement.

Glancing at Wikus, Christopher waited for his nod before telling his son that he would. Oliver grinned broadly, and bounced on the soles of his feet. "May I come with you to show him our room?" Oliver asked, eyes staring beseechingly at his father.

Christopher hesitated, so Wikus stepped in. "'Course. I wanna hear the end of the story. You were saying?" Wikus prompted, getting to his feet laboriously. Immediately, Oliver launched into his story, which involved a girl he'd met on their home planet who thought humans weren't real, but he'd be determined to show her she was wrong, so had tried to draw Wikus, but had ended up making him look like some creature from a storybook, so the girl hadn't believed him.

Wikus nodded at the appropriate times as they left the odd room, Christopher trailing beside them, staring at Wikus with a grateful look as he humoured the young lad.

As the story drew to a close, Wikus took note of where they were going. They were passing what looked to be a long wall, with no clear entrances, but he could see some Prawn pressed their hands to the wall, and being allowed into the bunker-like areas within.

"How do you decide who sleeps where?" Wikus asked.

"The human alphabet," Christopher explained. "We retained the human names we were given, so we have arranged the prawn in that order. It keeps things easy, and most of the Prawn on the ship were Earth Born, so they have a knowledge of the system we're using."

Wikus nodded, and asked, almost casually. "What if there are couples? Are they allowed to break protocol and share a room?" Joseph and Amelia would be far apart, if they were following the alphabet, he thought, knowing how torn up Joseph would have been if that was the case. He had no doubt that the brat would sneak out if he had to, to spend the nights with his girl.

Christopher looked at him sharply. "Normally, yes. Why?"

"Just asking," Wikus assured, but Oliver grinned.

"Did you meet a girl, Wikus? Do you want her to bunk with us too? I bet Father could arrange it."

If he had been human (Fookin' hell, that thought was painful) his cheeks would have been red. "No! I...was just askin'. Fookin' hell." The last two words were muttered, and Oliver laughed, obviously delighted at this new teasing material, but Christopher remained silent, focusing on finding their room.

Wikus almost ran into him when he stopped suddenly, out front of a blank wall. Christopher pressed his palm to the wall, and Wikus watched as it lit up, recognizing the palm print or something.

"I-" Wikus started, and both Prawn glanced at him, "- am never going to remember where this is."

Oliver laughed, and pet his shoulder soothingly, before following his father into the hole that had opened in the wall. Wikus' first thought, as the door slipped shut behind him and disappeared into the wall again, was that he should have been claustrophobic.

The room was smooth metal, with no dens, windows or any form of light except the glowing roof which illuminated the whole room. It was square, and box like, but was filled with stacks of paper-like material, and other assorted goods.

The one thing that caught his eye was the odd looking piles of fur-material towards the furthest side of the room. All three were set up, but one was neater than the other two, and Wikus frowned, glancing at Christopher who looked slightly embarrassed.

"You knew I would stay?" Wikus asked, motioning to the bed, or bed of furs, which had been kept for him.

Oliver piped up, saying what Christopher never would have, "no, but we hoped you would."

He opened his mouth several times, attempting to find a reply to that, but he was struck speechless. They had kept a bed for him, in case...just in case he had decided not to run away from them. Had they expected this?

No, he thought, the fookin' Prawns, they'd just hoped for it.

"How do you even sleep in those things?" Wikus said, to distract them from the awkward topic.

Both Christopher and Oliver laughed, and Oliver bounced over to his own bed of furs to demonstrate. "It's a nest!" Oliver announced, flopping into the fur and burying deep, until only his antennae was visible, and his eyes through strips of fur.

"There are more dignified ways of sleeping in it," Christopher explained, "but that basically sums it up."

"Do you mind?" Wikus asked, trailing of and motioning to the bed. Christopher shook his head and made his way to his own bed, as Wikus walked cautiously to the last one. He was watched expectantly by the other two, who had settled in their own beds. Christopher did look more dignified, having arranged his similar to a normal bed, longer and so he could pull the furs over his body. Reassured by this, Wikus reached out and touched the furs, shocked at the soft feel of them, and began to arrange them similar to Christopher's. When he was happy with it, he lowered himself into the bedding, pausing when he felt water-bladder-like support coming from within the fur, from the skin-material the fur was attached to. It was soft and cushy and kind of nice.

He gave a content whirl, without meaning to, as he settled in. He glanced at the other two to see them smiling at him.

"Do you want to sleep?" Christopher inquired.

"If you don't mind?" Wikus said, sounding sheepish. He was tired. Giving up ones humanity does that to a person, he thought, sarcastically.

"I think I'll have a nap too," Oliver announced and dug into his bedding until he was almost completely invisible, except his antennae. Wikus grinned at the sight, and caught Christopher smiling at the same thing.

"Are you-?"

Christopher tilted his head, and glanced at the door, or wall, which was the only thing Wikus could see, and back at his bedding. "I think I will rest too," he told Wikus and settled himself down. Wikus nodded, and, though he closed his eyes, soothed by the breathing of the other two (he had lost two, and gained two, it seemed), he didn't sleep.

Instead, he waited to wake up.

Because this had to be a nightmare.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Glad people enjoyed my 'cure' scene in the last chapter. I do so love Wikus' mentality at the point. It's fun to play with.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	11. This Is What I Brought You

**This Is What I Brought You (You May Forget Me)  
**

**.**

Wikus pretended to sleep for hours, or what felt like hours, until he heard Oliver begin to shift restless in his own furs. Christopher quickly hushed his son, having been awake for a while but had stayed in his bedding reading one of the ship's manuals which was beside his bed for light reading when he was tired.

"Is he still sleeping, Father?" Oliver whispered, crawling out of the furs, and despite his older age, crawled into his fathers bedding and peered at the manual he held. It reminded Wikus of a human child, such a sweet gesture. It was an odd thought, comparing the two races.

"He is tired," Christopher explained. Wikus had a feeling that Christopher knew he was still awake, but didn't bring it to Oliver's attention.

Wikus was tired. He just couldn't sleep. So he contented himself to listen.

"It's great that he's here, isn't it father? We'll get to show him home!" Home was a foreign word, because it was different to the usual Poleepkwan word. It was spoken differently, and consisted of an extra click, and yet Wikus' mind still knew it meant home. Was it the name of the planet? He wondered.

"You must understand, Oliver," Christopher hushed his son, "that Wikus has given up a lot. Be patient with him."

"I know that, Father! We gave up a lot too." A child's attitude, Wikus thought, but didn't hate the boy for it. Instead, it made him smile to himself somewhat bitterly, wondering what Oliver compared loosing _everything_ to.

"Not as much as he did, son."

"...Father?"

"Mmm?" It was actually just a whirling noise, but it meant the same as the human hum noise, Wikus assumed.

"Will he be happy as a Poleepkwa?"

Again, it was like a child's logic. As if that was a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer, and Wikus, for a moment, thought that Oliver was a lot younger than he was. He looked so small and fragile, despite his hard exoskeleton, seeking the reassurance from his father.

Christopher sighed, and placed his manual back to the ground. Wikus opened his eyes a little more, watching as the father wrapped his arms around his adolescent son and they laid comfortably in the bed of furs. It wasn't awkward, as it would be if a human father laid in the same bed with his teenage son. Somehow, it just seemed acceptable for the Poleepkwa. Was it acceptable? Was it something he should have known about, being Poleepkwa now?

"Only time will tell, son, but we will try our hardest to make it so."

It made a funny feeling appear below Wikus' breast plate, much to his confusion. His eyes flickered open, pretending to wake up slowly. Christopher and Oliver were both watching when he finally opened his eyes completely, giving him smiling looks.

"Happy wakings!" Oliver chirped. Was that like 'good morning' to humans?

"Happy wakings," Wikus returned, unsure but forming the words anyway. He was rewarded with a vibrant look from the younger male.

"Did you sleep well?" It was Christopher who spoke, the change from the childish glee from Oliver, to a very adult tone of 'politeness' disorientating Wikus for a moment.

"I feel more rested," Wikus dodged the question, and saw a knowing look cast his way. He stayed sprawled out in his beddings and they fell into comfortable silence, until Oliver perked up again.

"Come lay with us!"

Wikus blinked, while Christopher stared at his son and Oliver simply smiled at them both. The boy was crazy, Wikus decided.

The adolescent was still in his father's beddings, looking oh-so-comfortable and at ease in the assortment of furs. It did look comfortable...Wikus stopped that thought quickly. "I'm happy where I am, thank you."

Oliver frowned, pausing to think for a moment before he slipped from the furs. "Then we will come to you instead!"

Without realising what was happening, Wikus quickly gained a bed mate. The younger prawn slipped into the furs easily and without a hint of hesitation. Wikus would have gaped, if the image of a prawn gaping wasn't a horrendous sight, that would likely terrifying the boy.

It was like he had reverted back to being a child. Was it because that was the last time he had seen Wikus?

Was it a Poleepkwan thing? Wikus wondered, staring at the boy. To be so comfortable with others? He hadn't seen the prawn on earth being so 'touchy-feely' with each other as Oliver seemed to be with him and his father. Was it...a family thing?

_That _was a scary thought.

"Father! Come on!" Oliver coaxed, from where he was now buried in Wikus' bed. Christopher gave Wikus an apologetic look.

"That's enough, Oliver. Wikus did not invite you to his bedding, you must leave now," Christopher said firmly and Wikus watched Oliver visibly deflate.

Wikus winced and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as he went to slip from the bedding. "You can stay...if you really want."

Oliver brightened considerably. "Father too?"

Wikus glanced at Christopher, who still looked apologetic, and nodded awkwardly. "Yeah, s'pose." _Fookin' hell._ What was he doing?

Christopher sighed again, heavily, as if the very thought was tiring and slipped out of his bedding. Crossing the room he slipped into the furs beside his son, so that Oliver lay between the elder prawns.

To Wikus' surprise, it was nice.

There was...absolutely nothing intimate about it. There was no body heat to share, no awkward touches. It was simply...sharing space.

On earth, as a human, there would be so many things wrong with sharing a bed, even to do something as innocent as laying there, with a man and his son. It was just...wrong.

This was nice though.

Oliver obviously thought so as well, because he gave a low whirling sigh, and relaxed into the fur, utterly content. He said something, an unfamiliar word that made Christopher tense. Wikus didn't know what it was, and his brain offered no translation, but he knew it wasn't good by Christopher's reaction.

Christopher slapped a hand over his son's mouth, to stifle any other words which may have slipped out, a warning glance sent his way. Wikus could tell Christopher was uncomfortable, with whatever his son had said.

Before Wikus could ask, Oliver retaliated his father's gesture and Christopher quickly withdrew his hand. A thick layer of saliva coated the flat of his hand, which on a human would have been called a palm.

Oliver had slobbered on his hand so that his father would remove it.

It was _such_ a childish and familiar gesture, that Wikus threw his head back and laughed.

Staring in disbelief at his saliva drenched hand, Christopher soon joined in. Oliver began to laugh too, after a moment, not because he knew what was funny, but because he liked the sound of it, their laughter mixing in the otherwise silent room.

.

After a while of lying together, their laughter fading away, Wikus began to shift restlessly and Christopher picked up on it quickly.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, directing it at both of them.

"Yes," Oliver announced, and twisted to look at Wikus. "Are you?"

"A little." To be honest, Wikus couldn't feel his own stomach at the moment, disorientated with this body, which made it hard to feel hungry.

"I'll take you both to the Cafeteria," Christopher said, slipping from the bedding and getting to his feet in an easy movement. His son followed him, with the same grace, and Wikus stumbled as he raised himself up. Oliver grabbed his arm, helping to steady him.

"Just us, Father? Where are you going?" Oliver asked, sounding...tired. Wikus glanced between the pair, noticing a tension that had not been there moments before.

"I have work to do, and I am not hungry."

If Christopher's stomach had rumbled, Wikus would have called him on the comment, but there was no indication that the male was actually hungry, so both Oliver and Wikus were forced to let the statement pass.

"Will we see you later?" Oliver asked, and Wikus marveled at how easily it had become 'we', from it would have been 'I' earlier.

"Perhaps. It depends on how quickly I get my duties done, but I will make sure to come and find you before it is Rest."

Rest. Wikus tested the word, his mouth forming it but no sound coming out. It was like 'night' was to humans, but in space, there would be no night. It was simply a constant state of just...being. How odd.

"Are you coming, Wikus?" Christopher and Oliver were standing at the now opened door, watching him expectantly. The fabric, which Wikus had seen Christopher remove in the odd room in the back of the ship, was now back around his shoulders and Wikus wondered how many of them he had.

He hurried to fall into step beside the pair, watching as people inclined their heads to Christopher and Oliver as they passed, casting curious glances at Wikus. He was unfamiliar to all the Prawn who had come to save them, but as they began to pass familiar faces from earth, he was rewarded with a few smiles.

The woman, Janine, who had been so sweet to him on earth, and later cast him aside, passed him as they walked towards the Cafeteria. He hesitated, and she did as well. They stalled in the hallway, and Wikus' companions stopped to watch the interaction.

"I..." Janine stammered, her hands clenching.

_You...are sorry? You...regret what you did, what you said to me? You...were wrong? _

She said none of that, she simply looked him in the eye, tilted her head up, and walked straight passed him. It seemed rather poignant, that all she had managed to say, was simply "I". As if Wikus did not exist in her world.

"A friend of yours?" Oliver asked, when Wikus caught up with them.

He shook his head. "No. Merely someone I once knew." His time on earth already seemed like a life time ago, and yet no more than ten hours had passed since he first stepped onto the ship.

"She didn't seem to like you much."

"No, I don't think she ever did, much." He smiled slightly, the thought now amusing him. None of them had really liked him, but they had respected him, and then hated him, and finally it had become fear. There were few Prawn on earth who had truly 'liked' him.

Well, except Joseph, but he was rather an odd case.

"You're smiling, Wikus," Oliver pointed out, rather obviously, as they approached the cafeteria-like room.

"Am I not allowed to smile?" Wikus retorted, but it was not said cruelly, more a gentle taunt.

Oliver stammered for a moment, "of course! It's just...odd to see, sometimes. You never smiled much on earth." He slipped in, behind his father, into the Cafeteria. Wikus paused, outside the room filled to the brim with Prawn.

He used to smile a lot, when he was with his Tania, his angel, but after he lost her, he stopped smiling. Now, it had started again. It was hard not to smile, when surrounded by people who knew who you were, who you used to be, and hoped to see the person you later became.

He slipped into the room, taking his place beside Christopher, who was attracting a lot of attention. Standing beside him, he thought that he would be mostly ignored in favour of the well known Prawn.

"Wikus!"

His eyes widened, stumbling back a few steps, as a familiar Prawn barreled into him. His arms came up, and he caught Joseph's shoulders.

Why were prawns so fooking _huggy_?

.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Thank you for the reviews for last chapter!  
**

**Life is getting hectic for me, but this story will be updated when I can. It may be on a slightly odd update schedule though. More info about Prawn life next chapter. I'll be introducing culture and things soon. **

**Reviews appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	12. You're The Closest To Heaven

**You're The Closest To Heaven (That I'll Ever Be) **

**.**

.

The impromptu embrace would not have drawn attention, had all the Prawn not been watching Christopher to start with. Had Wikus been human, he would have been bright red at the curious whispers the younger male's hug had drawn. Thinking quick, Wikus tugged the boy's arm and dragged him from the cafeteria.

"You're still here!" Joseph chirped happily, eyes crinkled in delight, as he was pulled down the hallway away from the main entrance.

"_Obviously. _Did you really expect me to leave?"

"Yes."

Well. That was honest. Wikus sighed, and lent against the wall, releasing his hold on the younger boy.

"Did the cure not work?" Joseph asked slowly, cautiously.

"No. I have no doubt it would have worked...if I had taken it. Christopher knew what he was doing. He's just...smart like that."

Joseph lent beside him, and looked at him curiously. "You didn't take it?"

There was a shift of movement as both Christopher and Oliver stepped from the cafeteria. It took them a moment to spot Wikus, and they paused there, simply watching the other two prawn.

Wikus gave them a quick smile, to show them both that he was okay, before he glanced at Joseph. "I decided against it."

Joseph grinned, but looked nervous under the stares of the two higher ranking prawn. "I'm glad." He hesitated and resisted saying more.

"Wikus," Christopher broke the growing silence, keeping his gaze on his friend. "Are you coming in now?" There was something in his tone, as he practically ignored Joseph completely.

"Uhh, sure," Wikus said, pushing off the wall. He felt like he had done something wrong, with the way both Oliver and Christopher were watching him. "You comin', Joseph?"

Joseph rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture Wikus could remember seeing him mimic from the human guards on earth, bringing a quick amused look to his face.

"Yeah. You're going to sit with them?"

"I was, why?" Wikus asked, walking back towards Christopher.

"Never mind then," Joseph assured, careful not to move too close. "I just wanted to let you know we have a spare seat with us too. Y'know, if you wanted."

"Next time?" He suggested. "I'm staying with these guys, so they're kinda my map too, so I don't want to go out on my own yet." He had meant it as a joke, but beside him, Christopher tensed noticeably.

Joseph, however, shot him a quick grin. "Right. Next time. I'll save you a spot." He hesitated, then threw his arms around the elder male who had helped him so much on earth, squeezing him firm and then bouncing off into the cafeteria. "I'll hold you to that!"

Wikus watched the bundle of energy go, and glanced at his two companions. They seemed tense. "What's wrong?"

"We're not just your maps, are we, Wikus?" Oliver piped up.

Thinking he had hurt their feelings, he quickly spoke, "no! It was just a joke, Oliver." He tried to smile, but it felt forced. Christopher had said nothing.

They moved back towards the cafeteria, and Christopher waited until they were safely inside the room before he disappeared off to do whatever odd jobs he had to do that day. Wikus didn't even know what his job was, in the ship.

Oliver helped Wikus grab some meat, and some of the odd orange drink before they found a table which had a few spare seats. Tucking them selves into the bench seats, the loud talking of other people around the room made conversation awkward, so they ate without speaking.

Wikus was able to pick up spatters of conversation from other people, and he listened with open curiousity.

"-says we're only half a year from Home-"

"-didn't think I'd see it, you know? I-"

"-Mama! I wonder if Papa still remembers us. I was -"

"-happy-"

"-Took them long enough, right? Shoulda-"

"-saved us earlier! I mean, we waited for _years_-"

"-wish I could thank them-"

"-what is this meat? it tastes off. Can't-"

"-Reili? Reili? Have you seen my daugh-"

"-kus? Wikus?"

Jerking his head, he re-focused on Oliver, who was looking at his strangely. "Huh?"

"Are you finished?" Oliver motioned to the food, which was only crumbs now. Wikus hadn't realised he had been eating while listening, but he nodded to Oliver, who pushed himself up. "Let's go then. It's too noisy here."

Wikus had to agree, so he scrambled to his feet to follow the younger Prawn. They left quickly, and Wikus was unable to catch sight of Joseph and Amelia, though he looked for them as they left.

"Are you looking for that boy?" Oliver asked, astutely, as they slipped from the noisy room.

"Joseph? Yeah. I wanted to talk to him again," Wikus agreed, rubbing the back of his neck, glancing back over his shoulder. "He was earth-born, I think. So this must be all confusing." Not that it wasn't extremely confusing to him as well.

"You care for him."

Wikus gave Oliver an amused look. "I suppose."

"Why?"

He shrugged. The hallway seemed abnormally long, but that may have been because it was bland and uninteresting, so it seemed like it went on forever. Wikus wondered if Oliver knew where they were going. "He didn't give up on me, on earth. He's rather stubbourn."

"They didn't like you much on earth, did they?" Oliver asked, and linked his arm with Wikus in what the former-human assumed was meant to be a comforting gesture.

"I didn't like me much, on earth," was all Wikus said and Oliver smiled, a little sadly.

"Come on," he changed the subject, pulling the elder male's arm. "We can go to the Reading Room. It will be quiet there and I can show you picture of Home."

"Home?" Wikus asked, as the wall opened before them. The room wasn't full of books, like he half-expected it to be. Instead, it was full of screens all around the wall. Like the ones which connected hallways to doors and he was surprised. On earth, they seemed like such simpletons.

"Home, the planet which we are going too," Oliver explained and continued to pull at Wikus' arm. "I will show you! You will love it, I promise." He was grinning, as he approached one of the screens. He raised a hand, and began to tap at the screens. Instead of information appearing on the screen, the wall slid open and Wikus was pulled inside.

The room was dark. Pitch dark and cold. Wikus clutched at Oliver, hissing in distrust as no light filled the room. Being in a darkened room, without knowing where he was, was not a pleasant experience.

"Calm down," Oliver piped up, as letters began to light up the room. In the center, Wikus realised, was a stand with rounded edges. The pair moved closer to it, and waited.

A large orb appeared first, and then seven smaller ones, slightly transparent but obviously solid. Slowly, details began to form and Wikus watched as Home appeared before his eyes. It was luscious, and green all over. More so than earth, though there were large pools of water and each of the moons was glowing lightly, as if lit up inside. It was beautiful.

"Home," Oliver said softly and tightened his hold on Wikus. "It is so much more beautiful in person. You will see it soon."

"Soon? I thought it would be almost a year until you...we reach home," Wikus said, reaching out to touch the orb. It rippled under his touch, but stayed solid enough that he could run his finger along a coast line without the image disappearing.

"That is soon, to us. We waited so long to leave, only one year is nothing." Oliver smiled lightly.

Wikus nodded, but paused. "What is this?" He traced a dot on the planet's surface with the tip of a finger.

"A nest. They are all over the planet's surface. See...here, is our home on Home." Oliver twisted the orb and pointed at another dot. "We live beneath the surface on Home. Nests are like...camps on earth. We live in groups ,but some branch out on their own."

"Like ants," Wikus remarked slowly, touching the dot curiously.

"Ants?"

"Never mind. Will...I live in ...a nest?"

"Yes," Oliver said, nodding. "You will live with Father and I, unless...you wish to stay with...Joseph?"

It was an interesting thought. Staying with Joseph would be comfortable, but he and Amelia would wish to start a family as soon as they had settled, after their failed attempts on earth. "No. I think I would like to stay with you and Christopher instead." He missed the smile sent his way by Oliver, too busy tracing the moons of Home with his finger.

"Father will be pleased!" Oliver chirped, bouncing over to one of the walls of the room, clicking several glowing letters. The orb in the center of the room abruptly shifted, and it was a different view now. A cross view of a mound like feature, it showed a collection of tunnels which interconnected and lead in every which direction.

"This is a nest!" Oliver announced, moving back over. He picked a tunnel and traced it down to a domed area at the base of the 'nest'. "This is where we sleep. Each family get's their own for family members, but older members can ask for their own Rest Spot. I'm not old enough for my own yet, but when I take a partner, it is only proper to take another Rest Spot."

"Partner?" Wikus questioned, tracing another tunnel. "Like a spouse?"

"Spouse? Like...someone to spend the rest of your life with," Oliver tried to explain.

"A spouse," Wikus confirmed. "My...Partner is back on Earth. I don't think I will take my own Rest Spot, ever." His Tania. Sweet, sweet angel.

"Father says that too, when the available offer to Partner him." Oliver sounded amused. "You loved your spouse. She was...human, wasn't she?"

"Yes," Wikus smiled, thinking of Tania. "I love her." It wasn't past tense. He would...never see her again, but that did not mean he loved her less. She had replaced him, but that made no difference. He had married her, intending on forever, and that's what he would be. No one could replace her.

"You and Father will just have to live together forever then," Oliver announced. "Father is loyal to his Partner, and you are loyal to your Partner. A perfect match."

"What is a perfect match?" The wall had opened behind them, shedding light and bringing a figure into view. Christopher stepped into the room, the wall closing behind him.

"You and Wikus, Father!"

Christopher seemed to blanch, sending an apologetic look towards Wikus, who looked embarrassed.

"Do not say things like that, Oliver," Christopher scolded, wrapping an arm around his son's slighter shoulders. It placed his hand near Wikus and after a moment's hesitation, it grasped Wikus' shoulder. Oliver's arm was still linked with Wikus.

"I thought you had more work to do today, Father," Oliver remarked, leaning into him.

"I finished early," he excused, touching the orb of Home with a fond expression.

"You _never_ finish early."

"Well, I did today."

Wikus hid a smile.

.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Thank you to the reviewer who left a comment for the last chapter, it was very appreciated.  
**

**Next chapters will be time-skipping a little, but hopefully it won't be too jarring to the storyline. **

**Reviews are loved,  
**

**-Liaa  
**


	13. We've Wasted All Our Free Time Alone

**We've Wasted All Our Free Time Alone **

**.**

**.**

To say that time passed quickly while aboard the ship would be a lie. When they had started to travel, everything passed as a blur, yes, but it did not happen quickly. It was long and arduous, with days (or what Wikus assumed were days) of absolutely nothing except the constant feeling of being in motion.

It was a very odd experience.

No odder than the actual 'take off' though, when he thought about it. After being informed that Wikus was no going to return to earth, they were able to start setting up for take-off and to return to their home planet. They had, he was told, been waiting on him.

For a long while, the entire ship was in chaos as they prepared to leave. They were forced like sardines into rooms packed with Poleepkwan, in preparation for them to start. Normally, Wikus remembered Christopher saying, they would all be sat down and strapped in but there were too many of them. Some were allowed to sit, like the important figures or the elder Prawn. Wikus had been given a seat but quickly gave it to an elderly female who had been struggling just to stand on her own. This act of selflessness surprised him and made Christopher chuckle.

"Do you want my seat?" Christopher volunteered, as they watched them start to turn on engines and press a fair amount of buttons.

"No, I'll be fine," Wikus assured him, but did grasp hold of the back of his chair. Again, Christopher gave that funny little laugh and reached out, grasping one of Wikus' hands in his, giving extra support. While Wikus was musing on the odd feeling of prawn fingers between his, he felt someone loop their arm through his. Glancing over, Oliver smiled at him.

"I gave up my seat too," he said, before Wikus could protest. "Do you mind if I hold onto you while we start?"

Wikus sighed and nodded, drawing the younger prawn closer as they braced themselves.

He was later glad that he had both men holding onto him. When the engines roared to life and they began to move, stars wiping past them at frightening speed, Wikus was sure he would have been thrown backwards without the stable hands holding onto him.

It became a blur of darkness outside the windows, but somehow the navigators knew where they were going, calling out directions to one another. It was more chaotic moving than it had been while stationary.

"Wikus?"

He glanced at Oliver, who was looking at him in concern. Wikus hadn't realised he had been shaking, but his whole body trembled. Christopher leaped from his seat and Wikus was soon ushered to sit down in it, both Prawn hovering nervously around him.

He didn't know why he was shaking so much, the force of the movement hadn't been major, but still his legs quaked. Oliver wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and Wikus knew other people were watching him, but he couldn't help but give a soft mournful trill.

His stomach felt out of place and his heart ached, as he felt the smooth movement of the ship. "I'm never going home," he whispered, and felt Oliver tighten his arms around him.

It was as if every time he got used to something, everything changed and a new realisation dawned...how far from home he truly was.

.

"You alright?" After a while, Christopher spoke, his hand resting on Wikus' shoulder. Everything was pure chaos as the navigators tried to stay true to their course and the passengers scrambling to leave and return to their rooms. They struggled a little, trying to get used to the constant motion that was their new speed.

"Been better," Wikus said dryly, but raised his eyes to meet Christopher's. His hands were shaking, and he was leaning into Oliver.

"Take him back to our room." It was directed at Oliver. "He needs to rest now."

"Don't talk like I'm not here," he protested, but said nothing else when Oliver helped him to his feet. The pair stumbled and Christopher grasped them, holding them both upright.

"It seemed like I'll have to walk you both back," he said with a heavy sigh, but an amused look. He called out to one of the navigators, who nodded in a distracted fashion in response to whatever he had said, Wikus couldn't quite focus well. He felt sick, his head was light but it felt like all his bones were made of lead. Stumbling with each step Christopher helped, or rather forced, him to step, Wikus leaned against him firmly.

"It takes me a long time to get used to walking at this speed," Oliver grouched lightly, but he was slowly regaining his balance. He no longer leaned on his father as heavily, and now stood at Wikus' other side, to help support him.

"I don't know if I will get used to walking like this."

"It will be a very awkward few years then," Christopher remarked, and Wikus shot him a disgruntled look.

"Father, don't tease Wikus!" Oliver said, looking disapprovingly at the elder Prawn. "He is sick!"

"I agree with Oliver," Wikus said, transferring most of his weight to the smaller boy. "Don't be mean."

"It's like having two hatchlings," Christopher muttered, but did not attempt another joke.

Wikus closed his eyes as he stumbled. There was no warmth coming from Christopher, nor Oliver. Their skin wasn't warm to the touch, but was instead a hard, firm exoskeleton which allowed for no idea of human comfort. There was nothing there to hold onto, or cuddle into. It was a firm strength, supporting and nothing like he was used to.

"Wikus? Are you okay?" Oliver sounded worried, and he sounded far away, as if he was standing at the end of a tunnel.

"Yeah," he said slowly, "I'm fine."

He wasn't.

He knew that, and he had a feeling that both Oliver and Christopher knew it to.

.

Wikus stayed in their room for days after the take-off, claiming to not be used to the speed they were traveling at yet, but he was, in reality, moping. He had good reason too, he told himself. He had left his home _planet_, was currently traveling through outer space to a world he'd never seen, on a space ship full of strange alien creatures he was now one of, and had left everything familiar behind on earth, including his spouse.

He had the right to be a little upset.

Oliver stayed with him in the room most of the time, bringing in some things for him to read or to look at to keep himself amused. Christopher came by at Rest time but was busy most other times. Wikus had no idea what his job was on the ship, but it seemed to be very important and time consuming. Oliver often whined about the lack of time spent with his parent but Christopher brushed off the complaints as if they were a daily occurrence, which they might have been for all Wikus knew.

After three Rests had passed, Oliver seemed worried at Wikus' lack of response to talking, as he had slowly become more and more sulky and quiet as days passed. He was tired but could not seem to rest enough to make the tiredness go away.

He realised that Christopher and Oliver must have been at their wits end over how to help, because nearing Rest on the third day, the doors opened and Christopher stepped through, followed by an uncomfortable looking Joseph.

Oliver was already perched in Wikus' bedding with him, and the pair had been quietly looking through the high-tech sheets which Wikus discovered had billions of facts on each one, if you knew how to work them.

"Wikus!" Joseph chirped when he caught sight of him.

"Joseph!" Wikus returned the greeting, pleased but faintly confused. Why had Christopher brought Joseph to their room? "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," the boy said, and walked over to take a seat beside Wikus' bedding on the floor. Oliver hadn't moved, and was seated firmly beside Wikus, in a gesture that confused and amused the elder male. "I heard you're not taking too well to the speed."

"I'm not," Wikus agreed, with a faint sigh. "It doesn't sit well with me at all, but I'm getting there." He didn't want to worry the boy after all.

Glancing up, Wikus was surprised to see two identical frowns on both Oliver and Christopher's faces, as Joseph made small talk with Wikus and he tried to respond as best he could.

"Amelia didn't take too well to it either," Joseph announced, drawing a confused look from Christopher.

"Didn't she?" Wikus asked, sounding regretful. "Is she alright now?"

"Yes, but she's still not too active." He looked nervous and glanced at Christopher, then back to Wikus. "I think...she may be...y'know...again."

Y'know. It was such a childish way of saying it.

"Again?" Wikus blinked. "We are not even...to Home yet, and _again_?"

Joseph shifted in embarrassment and gave a slightly sheepish look. "It's just a suspicion, she won't tell me yet. When you get your space-legs, I know she'd love to see you again."

Wikus realized suddenly that he hadn't seen the female at all since boarding the ship. "I'll have to come and see you two," he agreed. "Which room are you staying in?"

"Mine," Joseph explained. "It's only the two of us, so it suits us fine. Her room had two rest-mates, so it would have been...awkward." He gave a faint grin.

Wikus laughed, just quietly and only for a moment. "I can only imagine. Well, if she is expecting, give her my congratulations. I do hope things go better for you now." He remembered how crushed the pair had been with their last two failed hatchings, and from the look on Joseph's face, he remembered too.

"Thanks. You'll have to sculpt the hatchlings something at some point."

"Of course, but do try not to have 20 or more, will you? It would make it hard to make them all something," Wikus said, with a teasingly reproachful look on his face. Joseph laughed, and reached out to embrace the elder prawn.

"I'm glad you decided to stay. I should go back to Amelia before she starts to worry. She doesn't like to stay alone for too long, while she's feeling unwell." He got to his feet after another quick squeeze of Wikus. "Come visit us when you have your strength back."

They shared a smile and Joseph slipped from the room, leaving a curious looking Christopher and Oliver behind.

"Who is Amelia?" Oliver was the first to break the silence growing.

Wikus cast him a side long glance and placed the information sheet to the ground, snuggling into his beddings. "Joseph's Partner, or intended Partner, or whatever." He stifled a yawn. "They met on earth when he was staying with me." He didn't tell them of the pair's failed attempts at hatchlings, but Christopher's expression said he had guessed.

"Oh!" Oliver's eyes were wide, and he seemed to blurt out his next words before Christopher could stop him, "so you're not interested in Joseph as a Partner!"

Wikus blinked.

And stared.

Glancing between the two Prawn, he barely resisted the urge to gape.

Him and _Joseph_?

He had the childish desire to mutter 'ew' but restrained himself.

"No!" He denied firmly. "Not at all. He's just a kid!"

"Oh, good," Oliver said, crawling into Wikus' bedding beside him.

Christopher looked relieved, which was silly, Wikus decided.

"Did you two really think I was interested in _Jospeh_?"

"You care for him, that much is obvious," Christopher said simply. "It was not obvious in which way you cared for him though."

Wikus shook his head. "Crazy. Utterly crazy. We lived together on earth. If I had wanted to make him my partner, I would have done so much earlier. Utterly crazy." He yawned again, and saw Christopher move to his own bedding.

"Wait!" Oliver cried, and scuttled from Wikus' bed, grabbing hold of Christopher's furs and tugging them over so that it blended with Wikus'. Flopping back into it, Oliver stared expectantly at his father, waiting for him to move into the double bedding he had just arranged.

Christopher sighed, and shook his head. "Son, you need to _ask_ first, before doing things such as that." He glanced at Wikus, looking mildly uncomfortable. "Do you mind-?"

"No," Wikus said, mostly because he knew it was too late and that Oliver would whine if he didn't say it. "Go ahead."

Christopher slipped into the bedding, still in his own side, with Oliver buried in the furs between them.

The gesture wasn't intimate in the same way it would have been for humans, but there was a different type of intimacy about it.

Instead, the bedding felt almost like a family nest.

Odd, Wikus decided.

Very odd.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Right. I lied. Timeskip will happen next chapter. This one got a bit carried away but now, finally, the boys know the truth about Joseph. I wanted to string them along a little more, but that would just be mean, right?**

**Wow. Thank you to all the people who reviewed for the last chapter, it meant a lot to me! I know you may feel that your reviews get lost amongst others but really, I'm so thrilled to read each of them, so thank you.**

** I'm still aiming for around 50k words for this story, so we're about half-way through my 'small' story.  
**

**Reviews are very much appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	14. Somone I'll Spend Forever With

**Someone I'll Spend Forever With **

**.**

**.**

"Wikus!"

It was a familiar cry which woke him, and he groaned as he reluctantly opened his eyes. Oliver's grinning face stared, upside down, at him as the youth watched him curiously.

"What is it?" Wikus grumbled, but didn't protest when the teenager dropped into his bedding beside him. Oliver had grown up during the last 94 Rests, as Wikus had taken to referring to Nights as, since there was no real 'night'. Days seemed so much longer, Wikus realised, when you're drifting seemingly aimlessly through space.

"Why aren't you up yet?"

"Because I'm still laying down," Wikus responded blandly, hiding under some furs. He heard a laugh-like whirl and peered out, spying Christopher, dressed in the cloth draped around his shoulder again and nothing else.

"You are like a hatchling, Wikus," Christopher told him, reaching out a hand to help him to his feet. "Come, Oliver and I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?" Wikus asked, frowning but allowing the help to get to his feet.

"It's-" Oliver began to say, but Christopher clapped a hand over his mouth.

"You'll see," was all Christopher said, and Wikus grumbled as he stumbled along behind them. He had eventually gotten more used to walking while in motion, but it had taken him a while.

"Wikus!" Another voice called, and he turned, spotting Amelia jogging up to them.

"Amelia," he greeted fondly, more used to his affection for the younger couple now. "What are you doing up?" She was nursing their eggs, Joseph had confided in him a fair while ago, when they were still new. Apparently, it was unlikely they'd hatch before they reached their home, which thrilled Joseph, since that meant that their babies would know Home as their real Home, not the ship.

Amelia laughed softly, her voice breathy from her jog. "They're fine," she excused his question, and embraced him in greeting. She smiled at the other two, though Oliver scowled while Christopher only bowed his head a little in greeting. "Joseph has collected some food for us tonight in our room before Rest, do you want to come? "

"Another time?" Wikus said, not cruelly. He was more than a little curious about his 'surprise' from the pair waiting impatiently behind him.

"Alright," Amelia didn't make a fuss but she sounded disappointed. "Just, talk to Joseph would you? He's sulking that he never gets to see you anymore." She laughed, embraced him once again and set off back the way she had come.

"She likes you," Oliver sulked, as the trio set off again.

"I'm glad," Wikus said pointedly, but glanced at the younger male. "You don't like her much do you?"

"No." Oliver said it before his father could stop him.

"Why not?"

"I d-"

"It's a Poleepkwan thing," Christopher cut in, not looking at Wikus.

He groaned. "In case you hadn't noticed, Poleepkwan things are my things now too." He gestured to his body. He still referred to himself as human occasionally, but after noticing the sad looks Oliver sent him when he separated himself from the other Prawn, he had tried to stop himself, at least in the boy's presence.

"It's...complicated," Christopher tried to explain. "You'll understand some day."

"I feel like a kid again," Wikus muttered. " "_You'll understand when you're older, son."_ "

"Father didn't call you Son," Oliver announced, not noticing what Wikus had been trying to do.

"I know, I was just...nevermind."

"You're really weird, Wikus," Oliver muttered, as they drew to a stop outside a door. There was a faint glowing imprint of a door, Wikus had realised, on the walls that he had once thought were blank, which was why everyone seemed to realise it was a door and not just a wall.

"So are you," Wikus retorted, admittedly childishly. Christopher gave that little laugh again, as he tapped on the door's keys confidently. Wikus could open their room's doors, but still couldn't grasp the other ones properly.

"Hatchlings," Christopher said, in warning for them to cool their bickering. Both Wikus and Oliver started to sulk, but noticed the others actions and began to laugh soon enough.

Christopher sighed, a little too dramatically to be real. "Why did I have to have two hatchlings? I had hoped to have a hatchling and a pa-" he cut himself off.

"Fellow adult?" Wikus filled in the blank, because he didn't really want to face what that other word might have become. "I'll try to act more mature. Heaven knows, Oliver's a lost cause."

"Hey!" The boy protested, as he slipped passed the pair of them into the room.

_"Hatchlings,"_ Christopher said again, sounding more exasperated. He motioned for Wikus to go in before him, and then stepped up behind him as he moved through the door. It shut behind them with a hiss, but the room stayed well lit, from what Wikus liked to refer to as 'glow bugs' on the room, where were patches of roof where light shone out. No one had told him how that happened, but he supposed it was something similar to electricity.

"What's going on? Is this where you mug me?" At the Prawn's blank looks, Wikus realised his human humour was lost on them, and sighed. "Nevermind."

"This is your surprise!" Oliver announced happily, bouncing around the seemingly empty room.

"Uh, thank you?"

Christopher's whirling laughter sounded again, and he pressed a hand to Wikus' shoulder, pushing him towards the center of the room. "Sit down, I will get it started," he told him, and Oliver dragged Wikus down to the floor to sit cross-legged with him. Christopher stepped up to one of the blank walls, tapping it in a carefully orchestrated rhythm that never failed to impress Wikus.

The wall began to flicker and Christopher settled himself beside Wikus, staring at it, so Wikus did the same.

"Welcome," a voice said, sounding all around the room and yet disembodied, even as a figure appeared before them. A hologram, Wikus realised, after jolting backwards. Christopher grabbed his shoulder to prevent him from going too far and simply kept it there instead of moving it away again once he had returned to his former spot.

"I am Varukanis," the female Prawn announced, her hands crossed in front of her and a rather severe look on her face. Her shoulders were draped in green fabric, which fell across them like silk. "I will be your teacher."

"Teacher?" Wikus whispered to Christopher. "What is this?"

"Just listen," Christopher responded, squeezing his shoulder lightly. "You don't need to whisper either, she cannot hear you."

"Oh," Wikus muttered, but returned his gaze to the hologram.

"I will be teaching you about...manners," the woman was droning on. "Etiquette, and other various things you will need to know before you grow into a well-rounded, polite Poleepkwan."

"Is this...a child's lesson?" Wikus asked, blanching slightly.

"Well, yes," Oliver agreed from his other side, watching the hologram with interest, "but as Hatchlings, we are taught at different ages."

"We thought you would feel more comfortable on Home if you were well educated about what to expect in our society," Christopher said and Wikus could almost hear the uncertainty in the male's voice.

"It's a good idea," Wikus hurried to assure them, not wishing to insult them, "but, I feel like such a..."

"idiot?" Oliver perked up, and Christopher hissed at him to silence him.

"Yeah, that," Wikus agreed, with a laugh.

"I did too. I learnt this on the way back home. I'm older than most hatchlings are when we start to learn, so I felt really slow, like she was talking about things I should have known already, but Father said - "

" - You didn't have the opportunity to learn before, you have it now. There is no such thing as too old to learn," Christopher said quietly and Wikus nodded.

He sighed.

"Does she have a restart button? I think I missed...all of what she just said."

Oliver grinned, and jumped up to restart the hologram. Instead of leaving him, as he had half expected they would, Christopher and Oliver stayed, answering any of his questions, no matter how stupid they sounded to them. Wikus knew they sounded stupid, because he caught the two of them snickering to each other after a few, but they didn't refuse to answer any.

"What does your Cloth mean?" Wikus asked, after a while of listening to her speak about Cloth, the fabric draped around their shoulders, colours. She hadn't mentioned white.

"Hero," Oliver piped up, without waiting for his father to answer. "It's a rare colour to wear."

Christopher shrugged his shoulders, which were bare of the Cloth, not looking at the two who stared at him.

"You don't like it much, do you?"

"Like what?"

"Wearing the cloth? Being a hero?"

"I'm not a Hero, Wikus. I just..."

"...saved everyone? That sounds like a hero to me."

"I didn't save everyone," Christopher protested, looking uncomfortable.

"You saved me."

He hesitated. "That was me being selfish, not an act of heroism."

"I think it was," Wikus contradicted, but didn't protest when they all fell silent again.

.

Wikus found himself enjoying the etiquette lessons, and the history was fascinating, but what he enjoyed most was the fact he began to fell less uncomfortable amongst masses of Poleepkwan. Christopher had taken to seating Wikus and Oliver with him at the Crew table, which was filled with Cloth wearing people.

Instead of feeling embarrassed, after multiple Rests had passed with a constant few hours per day spent in front of the hologram, he felt more comfortable in their presence. He knew it pleased Christopher, because he received more and more smiles from him as the days passed.

He realised they would be drawing close to Home soon, because the Prawn began to get restless, as if they knew home was close. Even Wikus could feel the bubbling energy in his stomach, telling him something exciting would happen soon.

"It'll be a few Rests still," Christopher attempted to soothe Oliver, as Rest fast approached and the boy showed no sign of tiring.

"But Father, can't we travel faster? We're so close already!"

Christopher and Wikus shared an amused look over his head, before his father refocused his attention on the boy. "No, we're at maximum speed, you'll just need to be patient a little longer." He tapped the top of his head affectionately and watched as his son sighed and settled into the bedding.

"Wikus?" Christopher spoke, as Wikus was settling into his own bedding. "Do you have a moment?"

"Hm? Of course," Wikus said, sounding slightly sleepy but crawled back to his feet, following the male out of their room. Oliver watched them go with curious eyes, but didn't try to follow. He knew he wouldn't have gotten away with it, Wikus knew, and cast him a little smile over his shoulder.

"What is it, Christopher?" Wikus asked, but Christopher motioned for him to stay silent a little longer, and led him to an empty room. He blinked as the door opened. the entire room looked as if it was covered in glass. They had stopped for a Rest, as they often did when people were getting too tired to shift-work. The stars twinkled around them, and Christopher helped him into the room, as he felt odd walking on what looked to be thin air.

"It's beautiful," Wikus murmured, and settled on the cold glass floor beside Christopher. "I've never seen the stars like this."

Christopher reached across him, pointing at something passed the stars. "See that one? That's Home. We're so close." He sounded breathy, as if he wanted to run that last distance between him and home.

"We'll be there soon enough," Wikus told him quietly, trying to be reassuring but he felt nervous. He was learning about how to act, but, what if he regretted it? Leaving home, for a place he may never fit in to?

"Stop worrying," Christopher admonished. "Even if you alienate yourself from everyone on Home, at least you will still have Oliver and I."

Wikus laughed. "Thanks," he said, sarcastically but meant it. He had a feeling that no matter how hard he pushed, neither Christopher or Oliver were going anywhere.

After a while of sitting in silence, just soaking in the stars and the view, Wikus sighed. "We should go back, Oliver will get worried."

"No." Chirstopher's hand covered his on the glass floor. "I warned Oliver earlier that we would be gone for a while. He won't worry." In fact, the boy had enthused and welcomed it, telling his father to keep Wikus out all night if he wanted.

Christopher didn't intend to, but it was a nice thought.

"You planned this?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Wikus asked, sounding faintly nervous.

"Everyone else gets to spend time with you, but I am always in the presence of others, whenever I am around you. I thought we could...talk, just us."

Wikus relaxed, ignoring how Christopher had yet to remove his hand.

"That sounds...nice." He smiled, just lightly. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Everything."

"That's a broad topic," Wikus said, laughing again, but this time it was tinged with nervousness.

"We have all night," Christopher pointed out. The tension in the room was thick, and Wikus opened his mouth several times, trying to find the right response to the heavy idea. Finally the right answer came to him, and he opened his mouth.

"Okay."

.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Oh Wikus. You have no idea why Chris is doing all this. **

**Thank you to the reviewers for the last chapter, they make me smile whenever I read them. Next chapter has more Chris x Wikus. I have moved the rating up to M, as the story will need the rating in the next 5 chapters or so. **

**Reviews are apppreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	15. Something Worth Fighting For

**Something Worth Fighting For **

**.**

**.**

In stark contrast to the days prior, time passed quickly as they approached the last of their time on the ship.

It was just his luck, Wikus mused one Rest, when both Christopher and Oliver were asleep, thankfully in their own furs for once. The days had passed slowly, when he hadn't cared how quickly they got to the planet of Home, but now, now he didn't want to see the planet he would spend the rest of his life on the days went passed almost as a blur.

They'd be there tomorrow.

How was he supposed to face that realization without breaking down?

Easily, apparently.

One look at Oliver's excited face and Wikus had been unable to admit his own fear, instead, plastering a brave face and announcing he was excited too. Christopher had given him a rather dull look, as if to say, 'yeah right' but had said nothing against Wikus.

"You're not sleeping," a voice whispered.

Wikus glanced across, spying the dark eyes of Christopher staring at him from across the room. He shook his head, unwilling to speak in case Oliver woke. He didn't want to deal with the innocent boy, or have to explain why he wasn't as thrilled as he was, to see the new world.

"I can get you some sleeping tonic," Christopher suggested lightly, his voice breathy and quiet. Wikus shook his head again, but more emphatically now. He didn't want to think how the Prawn medicine would react to his human-turned-Prawn system. It was easier to stay away from them all together.

"Come here." Christopher motioned to him, and after a moment's hesitation, Wikus slipped from his bedding and moved across to the other male's nest. Christopher shifted back, allowing Wikus to crawl in next to him. Wikus felt like a child, seeking comfort after a nightmare.

"You'll be fine," Christopher whispered, before encouraging him to lie down. He covered one of Wikus' hands with his own soothingly, but did not attempt anything further. They laid, facing each other for a while, before Christopher's eyes began to slip closed, but he would always force them open again. Wikus felt his own body unconsciously following along, his limbs feeling heavy as sleep invaded his mind.

"I don't want to sleep," Wikus said, his voice quiet and hoarse.

"Why?"

"Becuase if I wake up, everything will be different."

Christopher laughed, and said almost bitterly, "everything is already different, Wikus, exhausting yourself won't stop the seconds from passing, nor will stressing about something you cannot change." He raised his free hand, and rested it on Wikus' head, below one of his antennae. "Everything will be fine. Trust me."

Why did everything hard have to sound so damn simple when Christopher said it?

A odd noise slipped from Christopher's throat and vibrated around Wikus in a comforting way. It was like a whirling noise, but had a rumbling tone that made Wikus want to place his hands on the other male's breast-plate, to see if it would shake with the noise.

"What are you doing?" Wikus demanded, but his eyes were slipping closed even as he grumbled.

Christopher didn't pause to explain and simply continued to make the trilling noise. Wikus wondered if only he could hear it, because Oliver did not shift at all where he laid, and yet Wikus found himself wiggling and shifting, trying to find a comfortable spot. He had the urge to yawn, but Prawn did not yawn, so instead he opened his mouth, breathed deep and slumped against the fur.

As he finally drifted off to sleep, the trill still echoing around him, he could have sworn he felt an arm wrap around his waist, his hand still held firm between masculine fingers.

.

Everything was chaos.

Pure chaos.

The ship was drawing closer to Home, so much so that 'friendly sub-ships' had spanned out to guide them to a free landing area. They were like police escorts, helping them home.

Wikus had an arm around his shoulders, perhaps the only thing keeping him standing. When he had first felt it, he would have immediately thought it was Christopher, as the male was always touching him in some way, but when he looked, it was Joseph. The male's face was tense, and his mouth was firm. He was scared too.

Wikus slumped a little, into the supporting arm, but did not rest his whole weight, for fear of knocking the younger prawn over.

"It's terrifying, isn't it?" Joseph said with a laugh, as Amelia stepped up beside him. They were in one of the 'waiting' rooms, where they had been shoved during take-off, and were now shoved into for landing. Wikus had been separated from Christopher and Oliver, which was how Joseph and Amelia had found him.

"Mmm," both Amelia and Wikus agreed without hesitation and laughed anxiously.

"Want us to help you find Christopher?" Amelia suggested, and Wikus' silence gave him away, as he struggled to think of a polite way of yelling 'yes' at the top of his lungs. She laughed, as if knowing his internal struggle. She reached across Joseph, and petted Wikus' arm soothingly. "We'll find him for you, but we'll have to hurry, or else we will be out in the halls while we're landing."

That didn't sound like a favourable option, so Wikus nodded and they left quickly, slipping passed the guard Prawn with some excuse about feeling sick. They'd left so quickly, the guard hadn't had a chance to protest.

"Where do you think he would be?" Joseph asked, as they scrambled down the halls.

"The main room," Wikus said confidently. It had been where they had been, when they took off, so it would only make sense to be there when they landed too.

"Which way is that?"

Wikus paused. "That might be a problem. I have...no idea."

Joseph laughed, and grabbed both their hands, and began to drag them down one of the halls. "Just follow me."

.

It took twice as long as it should have, but they got there in the end. There were a surprisingly large amount of dead-ends in the hallways, which Joseph had quickly found out. Wikus wondered if there were any dead-end hallways they hadn't found on their trip, but kept that comment to himself.

"What do you want?" The prawn guarding the door said, with a grouchy looking sneer on his face which was actually quite terrifying. Wikus wanted to step back, but Joseph stepped forward instead.

"We need to speak to Quirea Christopher."

Quirea? Wikus tried to remember if he had heard that word in etiquette lessons but could not recall anything even remotely similar mentioned.

The guard scoffed. "Why would he want to see _you_?"

Apparently, jerks were universal. Even aliens had them.

Wikus pushed passed Joseph, scowling. "I am his room-mate -" which came out similar to 'bedding mate', which, to Wikus sounded _completely_ different, "- so I _know_ he will want to see me - us - right now."

The guard eyed him, suspiciously, as if he would be able to tell just by looking at him, whether he shared a room with the high-class male. Wikus tilted his head up, and met his gaze boldly, his arms crossed. Beside him, he spied Joseph and Amelia doing the same, presenting a rather intimidating front.

"Fine," the guard grumbled, and stepped aside, tapping on the almost invisible keys until the door slid open with that horrible hiss. "But if yer lying, then you didn't get let in by me, ye hear?"

They nodded obediently, and slipped in quickly before he could change his mind.

"I didn't know Prawn could speak colloquially," Wikus mused, but the human phrase came out garbled, and he gained confused looks from his companions. "Never mind," he said, with a heavy sigh. Sometimes, he wished the language he thought and the language he spoke wasn't so different.

The main room was as crowded as the other rooms, the cloth wearing Prawn filled to the brim and it was uncomfortable trying to push through them. The noise was deafening, the chirping building in noise until it was all Wikus could hear, even though he saw Joseph attempting to tell him something.

"Quiet!" A voice yelled, over the chirping and it fell silent. "We need silence while we organise the landing. If you speak, I will remove you from the room." The voice was firm and commanding, and the room obediently stay silent.

Wikus, however, did not. "Christopher?" He said quietly, not particularly caring if he was thrown from the room. He just hoped the male was around.

There was a pause, then two voices spoke, "Wikus? Where are you?"

"Uh...somewhere?" Wikus responded, and the other voice commanded silence again, as other voices began to speak now that Wikus had broken the silence.

"I'll find you," Christopher called out, and Wikus nodded, though the male would not see, and stayed close to Joseph and Amelia. It just didn't cross his mind that Christopher wouldn't find him. Christopher always seemed to know where he was.

The crowd was pushed aside. Wikus stepped forward as Christopher grabbed hold of him, as if he feared the crowd would swallow him up if he didn't keep hold.

"I keep loosing you," Christopher grumped, not releasing his hold.

"Well maybe if you didn't keep leaving me alone," Wikus retorted, before pausing, hoping the male didn't take offense. He felt the arms around him tighten.

"You okay now, Wikus?" Joseph piped up quietly, as the room began to murmur quietly in their own conversations, and no silence could be returned.

Wikus glanced over but still Christopher didn't let go of him. He smiled at the young couple. "I'll be fine. Are you going back to the waiting-room?"

"Yes," Amelia piped up. "I...feel-" she broke off, casting her gaze towards the cloth covered Prawns.

Wikus winced. He knew that feeling. He hated feeling like he wasn't worth to be in their presence. "Thanks for walking me here," Wikus said quietly and gave them another smile. The couple smiled back and Joseph embraced him quickly, even though Christopher's arms were still around Wikus.

"We'll see you on Home," Amelia cooed, her expression sweet. The expression was a strange one, as Wikus had never thought that Prawn could look sweet, but he seemed to learn new things everytime he batted his eyes.

"Yes," Joseph agreed, a bright smile in his eyes. "It may take us a day or two to settle, but we'll find you, okay?" He didn't wait for Wikus' response, and embraced him firmly again, before seeming to melt into the crowd around them. Wikus heard the door hiss as they left, but didn't see them go. He sighed, and turned back to Christopher, who was watching him with a curious expression on his face.

"Do you wish they stayed?" His voice sounded tight, but purposely quiet.

"No," Wikus denied, and shifted, trying to remove the arms around him but could not seem to wriggle out. "Where is Oliver?" He asked, to change the subject.

"He's saving our seats," Christopher said simply.

"Our?"

"Yes, there are three that were reserved for us."

"What would have happened if I hadn't sought you out?" He teased, as he was led through the crowd. He was thankful for the promised seat though, if the landing was anything like the take-off.

"Then your seat would have remained empty."

Everything was simple to Christopher, cut and dried with no room for movement. Wikus wondered how he could live like that.

"Well, at least I'm here now," he murmured, as he caught sight of an excited looking Oliver, barely contained to his seat.

"Yes," it was almost a sibilant hiss, but Wikus was soon distracted by the bouncing adolescent who grabbed hold of him.

"We're going home, Wikus!" Oliver said, his eyes almost feverishly bright. "Home!"

Wikus couldn't help but let out a laugh, as he sunk into the seat beside the boy.

"Home."

A foreign concept, if ever he heard one.

.

**Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews for last chapter!  
**

**Admittedly, this was a bit of a filler. Next chapter involves the actual landing/first views of the planet, and is much better than this one, I promise. Rating boosted up to M, not because it needs it yet but because it will soon. Please heed the change in warning.**

**Reviews are much appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	16. Giving In Is Not Giving Up

**Giving In Is Not Giving Up**

**.**

**.**

Despite being amongst the few prawn crammed into the front room, Wikus saw very little of the landing to the planet. It was like the space voyage, a constant blur of colours, though the landing was far more green than the voyage had been. If they had slowed enough for Wikus to see the scenery as they descended, then it would have taken them weeks to clear the planets ozone. Or so Christopher told him, but Wikus wasn't quite sure he believed him.

Wikus wasn't interested in the sights though, and instead clung almost desperately to Christopher. Oliver sat between them, but Christopher's arm was wrapped around the boy's shoulder and therefore was close enough for Wikus to cling to. It had drawn some odd looks from fellow seated Prawn, but the three males ignored it.

Or at least, Christopher and Wikus ignored it. Oliver had done a mouth gesture which Wikus had assumed was similar to a human child sticking it's tongue out at someone, and had drawn a reproaching whirl from his father, though it appeared that Christopher was hiding a smile.

Wikus wanted to say something, as the room fell silent awaiting their decent. It felt like they were plummeting from space, without a goal in mind and Wikus' stomach felt in knots at the thought they'd come all this way to crash upon entry to the planet, but Christopher's hand was a comforting weight and he tried to ignore everything else and instead focused on the very real touch.

"Are you okay?" Oliver whispered, noticing Wikus' expression. Could a prawn go pale? Wikus didn't know, but if they could, he was likely doing so.

"Yeah," Wikus whispered back, but didn't reject the boy's arm which was wrapped around him, just as Christopher's hand tightened in his own. He shifted, moving closer to the pair until they were bunched up together, the arms of the chair disappearing until there three seats were similar to a bench. Due to Oliver's small size, Christopher was able to wrap his arm around the boy's shoulders, and still have room to curl his hand around the back of Wikus' neck.

"We'll be fine," Christopher told them quietly and Wikus felt some tension ease. On earth, Wikus had been in control. Here, in this foreign place that was so different from everything he had ever imagined, Christopher was in charge and it felt...nice, giving up a little of his own control.

His head lulled to the side, and he rested his cheek, or what would be his cheek but was now simply a piece of exoskeleton which was very harsh and unforgiving rather than soft and comforting as a human's cheek would be, against the top of Oliver's head.

"We'll be fine," Wikus repeated, as if it was Oliver who needed reassurance. The boy played along, nodding and pulling them both a little closer.

"We're approaching landing," a voice called out, from the front of the room, and the tension increased in Wikus' gut again. "Please brace yourself."

Before Wikus could ask what 'brace' meant in Poleepkwan, the whole ship shuddered and he was thrown forward in his seat, held back only by Christopher who had enough sense to keep hold of them, but also grab the back of their seat as well, bracing his feet on the floor. Just as soon as Wikus was thrown forward, he felt himself pushed back in his seat by the same force as the ship gave another shuddering rumble, shaking him to the very core.

It was like they had slammed into the planet at full speed, which was a terrifying thought, but they would not have survived the crash had they do that.

There was silence, as things began to come back into focus out the large glass front of the screen. Wikus drew a breath, his eyes wide, as everyone in the room began to yell. They screamed, got up and danced, and some embraced in groups. They were celebrating, pure joy on their alien faces. They were home.

Home.

Wikus' first view of 'home' was...green. It felt like they had landed in a giant tree, because all Wikus could see as he looked out the glass was foliage. Odd, very odd, roughly shaped green foliage.

In the ruckus around them, Wikus wasn't aware of speaking his thoughts out loud, until he heard Oliver and Christopher laugh. Glancing over at them, Wikus was surprised at how different this felt. Still wrapped in Christopher's arms, Oliver seemed older, and he was holding himself firmer, as if he knew his social standing on the planet. Christopher's eyes weren't as open as they had been, and were now shuttered defensively from emotions, but they still sparkled when he laughed.

Spotting these differences almost immediately, Wikus didn't know if he liked Home.

.

They were the first to be escorted off the ship. Everyone in the front room would go first, and then the passengers packed in the back rooms. Oliver had run ahead, talking to one of the guards who was helping them off. The male guard was laughing at whatever it was that Oliver was talking about, though he didn't seem to be listening too closely as he directed people in which paths to go, as the ship's landing plank deployed, giving a smooth walk down to the ground.

Christopher and Wikus walked side-by-side down the plank, Wikus staring at the ground.

"What's wrong?" Christopher asked, reaching out to discretely grasp Wikus' hand where it hung limply at his side. He gave it a quick squeeze, but did not hold it, and instead released it almost immediately. It seemed, that on the ship, things were far different than they were on this planet.

Wikus told himself he didn't miss the lingering touches of the other male. Ridiculous, right? How could he miss something like _that_?

"Nothing," Wikus said softly, but caught Christopher's disbelieving look. "Everything?" He tried again, and this time received a saddened stare in response.

Whatever Christopher would have said next was cut off as the ships artificial atmosphere cut off, and almost immediately, Wikus fell. His knees gave out, and he gasped for breath as his lungs did not seem to want to continue working.

Wonderful.

Home was just getting better and better.

Christopher had fallen to his knees beside him, but Wikus didn't think it was because of the change in gravity. "Breathe shallow," Christopher commanded, as the other prawn stepped around them, not offering assistance. "The oxygen is thicker here, you need to allow for shorter breaths while your lungs adjust. Short, shallow breaths."

Wikus obeyed, feeling a little like he was in Lamaze classes, as he lent against Christopher. He could feel his breast plate moving up and down as he breathed, a little easier than Wikus but still shallowly.

As he took smaller breathes, he felt oxygen flooding his veins again, but it was a different feeling. It made him almost light headed, even as Christopher helped him to his feet moments later. Oliver had been lost in the crowd, but Wikus knew it wouldn't take long to find the excited boy again. He lent on Christopher, even as he was standing, and this time, Christopher made no move to hide any touch between them, wrapping an arm around Wikus' waist.

"Slow steps, you're not used to our gravity either," Christopher remarked, sounding a little amused at Wikus' struggling, which earned him a rather nonthreatening death glare. He laughed softly, but said no more as Wikus stumbled, a little like a drunken man, down the ramp towards the ground.

Busy concentrating on breathing and walking, two supposedly 'simple' processes, Wikus didn't realise he had stepped onto the new planet until his feet touched something soft. Looking at his feet, he blinked at the squishy brown looking plant which covered the ground, similar to how grass covered fields on earth.

"Wakfirrl," Christopher told him, pointing at the ground. Wiggling his toes a little, Wikus realised it was similar texture to moss, and attempted to speak the name for it, earning a pleased look from Christopher.

Raising his head from staring at his feet, his breath caught at his first clear sight of the planet he would now call Home, like every other prawn.

It was...beautiful, but disappointing.

The trees were thick and odd looking, bent in weird directions and more like they were covering only seven or so metres above the ground rather than growing up into the sky, though Wikus assumed that was something to do with their gravity being higher. Wikus had...tried not to think of what Home would look like, but had come to expect something much different than this.

He had seen, parts of the planet in his etiquette lessons, but it never showed a clear map. He had expected the trees to be different, to look nothing like earth so that his heart wouldn't hurt everytime he looked at them and remembered what he left behind. He wanted the ground to be blue, or something odd so that he would think it all a dream, rather than his new reality.

He felt horrible, but he'd wanted it to be so much different than what he had left.

"Disappointed?" Christopher asked tightly beside him.

Wikus looked up, and knew his emotions would have shown on his face, so he only nodded without saying a word.

Christopher sighed, and then brushed his hand along the back of Wikus' neck. "Wait until you see the nest. You won't be disappointed then."

.

Christopher was right.

The Nest was amazing. It was more what Wikus had been expected.

They had had to briefly stop and wait in line to sign in, writing their human names so that they could be assigned a Poleepkwan name, though Wikus knew he'd never use his, nor Christopher's or Oliver's, who they had yet to find again.

The entrance to the nest was like a cave which had been dug on an angle, so it led down instead of across. As soon as the light behind them was no longer visible from the outside word, everything changed. The walls where thick and rough to touch, which Wikus did as he walked down into the Nest.

"More to your expectations?" Christopher remarked, not unkindly as they approached a rather large entrance way to another room of the Nest, off the main tunnel.

"Yeah," Wikus breathed, honestly. He found Christopher's hand in the dark and would deny later that it was he who took hold and kept hold of the appendage but he did.

"Wait until you see what comes next," Christopher encouraged, and fastened their pace a little. They stepped through the next entrance, another cave like structure, and Wikus paused.

It was like the tunnel, the rough dark walls but...everything else was different. There were specks, crystal like objects which glowed and were attached to the walls, giving the room an ethereal quality that took his breath which he was already struggling to find. Off of the main room were tunnels, hundreds of tunnels which stretched in different directions, like a Nest, or a Hive.

Prawn, who were nothing like human prawns, milled everywhere, in and out of tunnels in a fashion which reminded Wikus of ants.

He had expected, to be honest, high technology like the ships which had been millions of years ahead of Human technology, and yet this structure, their home on Home, was so primitive and...old. It was a bemusing mix of old and new, the Poleepkwan race.

"Better?" Christopher asked, standing close at his side.

"Much," Wikus remarked, turning to smile at him. "Only one problem."

"What?" Christopher had tensed.

"I'm going to get lost so many times. How many _tunnels_ are there? It's like a maze. You'll need to draw me a map, or get me a guide or something, because there is no way I'll be able to find my way around on my own."

Christopher's laugh was worth the bad dramatics and Wikus hid a grin as Oliver came bouncing out of the crowd and attached himself to the pair.

Different wasn't bad, he decided, as he was led towards what he was told was _their_ bedding area. Different was actually pretty good...if a little weird at times. In a good way. Kind of.

Wikus laughed at his own thoughts, and kept hold of Christopher as he was escorted in the maze of tunnels, he decided to stop thinking. It just complicated these things.

Simple.

Right?

.

the end.

.

.

I'm joking, don't kill me.

.

**Author's Note: I took some liberties with my interpretation of the planet, so I'm sorry if it's not the way you imagined it, but this was my opinion on it. Poleepkwan's will be explained in more detail in the coming chapters, as will their home world.  
**

**I hope Wikus' changing emotions do not seem abrupt. There will be the beginnings of Slash in the next chapter, but nothing too explicit. However if you are not interested in slash, now would be the time to stop reading. **

**Thank you to all the reviews for the last chapter. I appreciated them all very much.**

**Reviews are loved,**

**-Liaa  
**


	17. Here Come The Memories

**Here Come The Memories**

**.**

**.**

The scrambling of the prawn was very distracting when you were attempting to travel through them, but Christopher led Wikus down the tunnels with an ease that was uncanny for how long the male had been away from home. Oliver was behind them, but was often distracted by chatting to people they passed, so they had simply stopped waiting for him, fairly assured that he would find them again later.

"Are you sure he will be alright on his own?" Wikus inquired, as Christopher tugged him around yet another corner. Oliver had stopped, talking to the same guard that had escorted them all off the ship, who had been looking for his own room. Oliver was making large hand gestures, amusing the guard as he continued to speak about whatever it was they were speaking of. Wikus really hadn't cared enough to make note of the subject, but he had been rather amused at the youth's bounciness.

"Yes." Christopher sounded pleased that Wikus was worrying over Oliver, and tightened his hold on the male's hand. Occasionally, passing clothed prawn, Christopher would drop his hand, but Wikus would take it again when the clothed ones were passed, earning him amused looks from Christopher. Wikus ignored them, just as he ignored the fact that he had initiated the hand-holding.

"Will he be able to find us?" Wikus wasn't sure if he could find _himself_ at the moment.

"Of course he will," Christopher assured, drawing Wikus to a halt before another tunnel. "This is ours."

Ours. Wikus denied the odd feeling building in his stomach at that word. "Our Rest spot?" He asked, trying to peer into the room, but the entrance way was blackened.

"Mmhmm," Christopher gave a whirl, that was like a hum, but so much odder. He wrapped an arm around Wikus' shoulder casually, and tapped the black, which Wikus now realised was a solid mass, not simply shadows, until the sheet gave way. It was like the doors on the ship, and it disappeared into the wall with a hiss, revealing the crystal ridden room, which glowed pleasantly. Everything about the Prawn was a mix between primitive and new-age, as if they had simply skipped the part in between and combined their two lives together. Tunnels and caves, along with high ranking technology that even humans had not been able to master.

The room itself radiated a type of warmth, which seemed to come from the walls and the crystals. It held no windows, or look-ways, as it was underground and there would be nothing to see. It was well lit though, from the crystals, so the solitary nature of it was not stifling.

"I like it," Wikus said, after Christopher paused to watch him quietly. An odd smile appeared on the prawn's face, as he led Wikus further into the room. There was the bedding towards the back of the room, and the door slid shut behind them. All the noise from the tunnels was cut off and Wikus sighed at the silence, pleased to give his ears a rest.

He sunk into the bedding, feeling Christopher sink down behind him until they were both sprawled into the bed. He was still getting used to the air pressure, so he did not breath deeply but rather sounded like he was hyperventilating with his small breaths. The gravity strained his legs, which was why he had resorted to laying rather than exploring the rest of the room. "Where will Oliver sleep?" Wikus asked, noticing no other place to sleep, other than where they lied. It was not a bad feeling, laying beside Christopher, he was getting used to it after the time on the ship where they would often share beddings.

"He would sleep where you are," Christopher told him, "but since you are with us, he will gain his own bedding."

"I don't get my own too?"

Christopher hid a wince. "Do you want one?"

Wikus paused. "If I did?"

"You would get one."

"And if I didn't?"

"You would stay with me, here."

"Why is everything so simple with you?" Wikus grumped, curling into his bedding. His knees bumped Christopher's side, but the male did not move away.

"Because this life, our life, is simple."

"You're the most complicated creatures I know!" Wikus protested, scowling. "Humans are much simpler." _I was much simpler. _

Christopher scoffed. "Humans? Simple? You were the complicated ones. With your cloths and your society, with your perceptions of others lack of importance, your cultures and all."

"It was just common sense!" Wikus snapped. "It wasn't complicated."

"_Our _way of life is common sense! It is only complicated because you were raised one of us."

Wikus froze. He had almost - not quite - forgotten just how different he was from Christopher, from Oliver. "You're right," Wikus said quietly, rubbing his eyes after they had closed.

"Do you miss it?"

"Being simple, or being human?" Wikus scoffed, feeling arms wrap around him and he allowed it for a moment, before pushing the male away without opening his eyes.

"Both. Are they not the same thing?"

"No," Wikus quietly corrected. "I can be simple and prawn, or I can be simple and human, or I could simply be human."

Christopher fell silent. When he opened his mouth, to respond in some way, the door to their spot opened, and Oliver stumbled in. He had a broad smile, and Christopher masked his frustrated expression. Wikus was unsuccessful in hiding his, so he instead allowed the boy to embrace him as he fell into the bedding beside them.

"Do you like it here?" Oliver said, his tone curious though nervous of the answer.

"Yeah," Wikus assured, the urge to brush the young male's face was strong, but he felt too awkward without any hair there to pretend to push away, so instead he wrapped his arm around him loosely and met Christopher's eyes over his head.

Christopher stared at him with an emotion Wikus could not name in his eyes. He shook his head, when he caught Wikus watching and the expression was gone. "Oliver? Will you stay with Wikus? I must meet with the Elders."

Oliver winced and nodded, not moving from where he clung to Wikus. "I don't need to come?"

"No, they will only require a briefing. If they need you, they will send for you here." Christopher got to his feet, and straightened the cloth he wore, almost self-consciously. He said to Wikus, as he dusted off any specks of dirt, "if you need to travel anywhere, travel with Oliver or we may never find you again." He gave a half smile, and Wikus returned it, though both were shaky and not quite true. Perhaps it was for Oliver's benefit that they even attempted the smiles.

"We'll stay here," Wikus said, relishing the idea of a nap. "If Oliver doesn't mind."

"Not at all," Oliver chirped. "I can tell you more of Home, so you can be prepared."

Wikus smiled at the younger boy, and saw from the corner of his eye that Christopher had a tiny smile on his face.

"I will see you here later then," Christopher told them, and hesitated, before reaching out to brush the side of Wikus' face with the tips of his fingers. "For what it's worth, Wikus. You are one of us."

He was gone after that, disappearing out of the room before Wikus could react.

One of them. Even human, he would have still been one of that 'us', Wikus knew and wriggled until he was snuggled down into the bedding, hiding a smile with the furs so that Oliver would not see. Oliver had seen though, and was hiding a grin of his own.

"What do you want to know?" Oliver asked, after a moment's silence. It was time to learn, it seemed. Wikus paused, to think of questions.

"Why does your father -" _pull away from me _"- close himself off when the Clothed Poleekpwan walk passed?"

"It's out of respect. We are not meant to be too open with anyone who is not our chosen, at least until we have a chosen."

"Do Poleepkwan mate for life?" He asked, almost as a joke. Not much of their normal life was mentioned on the tapes on the ship, but rather just their culture and their ceremonies which terrified Wikus, because they were so damn formal.

"No," Oliver said, with a smile, "as a race we don't, but many chose to."

_Mate for life? Sweet angel. _His angel did not mate for life. She had remarried. She probably had children now. Would he mate for life, in staying true to her? He was...on a different planet from her. He could barely remember her name, only that she was his sweet angel and that her hair smelled of cherries.

"Wikus?" Oliver touched his arm, jerking him from memories. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he rushed to reassure. "Tell me more."

"About what?"

"Anything."

"Anything? Well, when we mate, we gr-"

"Oi!" Wikus would have been blushing, he knew, had he actually still possessed skin. "Not that."

"Well then don't say 'anything' if you don't mean 'anything'," Oliver teased, and they snickered.

"Right, anything OTHER than mating details." Though Wikus was curious. He hadn't...done anything since he had grown this new body. He hadn't even gotten aroused, mostly because Prawn did not make him excited, no matter what the news reports had said on earth.

He wondered if he still could get aroused.

Well, he had no privacy even if he wanted to try, with Christopher and Oliver sharing the room. He shook his head, and re-focused on Oliver, who was speaking of the food on Home and what they would eat at feeding time.

Not exactly interesting, but better than hearing about mating.

Wikus curled up and let Oliver's voice wash over him, more than likely boring him to sleep, but at least he would sleep.

.

The bedding shifted, the furs covering Wikus were moved. He supposed that was what woke him. The Rest spot at night was rather cool, but it did not effect him that much, as his exoskeleton kept him fairly warm on it's own, but it meant that he felt it when the faint warmth of his body was replaced with a rush of cold of night air.

His eyes flickered open, and he realised that the body arranging itself next to him was not Oliver, who had retired to his own bedding which had been brought in early by a prawn Wikus didn't know.

"You slept through feeding," Christopher whispered, stretching out next to him. "You will need to wait for morning, or we can go fetch something now."

"Morning," Wikus mumbled sleepily, and watched as Christopher arranged the furs satisfactory over the pair of them. "How'dit go withe elders?" Wikus asked, his words slurring in his exhaustion. Perhaps it was lack of adrenaline, now that they had reached home, but he was tired.

"Fine," Christopher assured, and brushed his fingers across Wikus cheek again.

"Don'twanna meetme,yeah?"

"Why would they want to meet you?" Christopher asked, sounding amused, and slightly smug. "They think you are simply 'one of the prawn' remember."

"What of the others, who knew meonearth? They know I'not 'one of the prawn'." Wikus felt his body drawn closer to Christopher and obediently rested his head on the spot cleared beside the male's head.

"Yes, but they know you're 'one of us'. They won't say anything," Christopher told him, and wrapped an arm around him comfortingly.

"You're cold," Wikus muttered, but his eyes were already drifting closed, not protesting from the unexpected embrace to sleep by.

Christopher's skin was hard and slick, not soft like his angel's.

He was cold to the touch, except where the planes of his exoskeleton meet, which were warm and smooth where Wikus ran his finger over. Made Christopher shiver too, so perhaps his hands were cold. His angel had been warm, always warm to the touch, like a hot water bottle that never got cold.

They were so different.

Everything was different.

But Wikus was too tired to care, thankful instead for the body beside his, proving he was not alone in this new world.

.

.

**Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! Apologies for the 'the end' joke, but at least I put 'joking' or else it would have seemed much worse? haha.**

**Slash is coming, unfortunately I can't see Wikus and Christopher rushing into this, so it may be a few chapters still before anything obvious happens. Hints will be in the next few chapters (and this one, of course.).**

**Reviews are very much appreciated,**

**-Liaa  
**


	18. Tired of Looking at the Past for Meaning

**Tired of Looking at the Past for Meaning **

**.**

**.**

Poleepkwan days were longer than Earth days. By twice the amount of 'hours', or at least by twice the time Wikus was used to. It was more than a little frustrating when he would get sleepy by the time the second feeding (which was what they called Lunch) had come around. He felt like a child when Christopher banished him to their rest spot for a nap.

It didn't help that Wikus could see sleepy looking youths trudging back to their rest spots just like he was, whenever he went to take a nap. It was...annoying, to say the least, thinking that he was seen as a child by the other male.

In the morning, he went to class with the rest of the 'Earth-Born-Prawn', which involved explaining their new home and what was expected of them. When Wikus learnt he was expected to get a job eventually, the thought terrified him. He had no skills! Except his prior experience at killing Prawn, he had nothing to fall back on, unless the Poleepkwan people needed their paperwork filed!

He was panicking when Christopher came by to pick him up from the learning spot to take him to get food, which he did every day since they had gone Home. It was sweet, but Wikus knew it was because he would get lost on his own and likely end up down in the dangerous construction areas of new rest spots.

"Are you alright?" Christopher asked, when Wikus finally spotted him standing by the doorway. Waving goodbye to the few Prawn he actually spoke to in the class, an older couple who hadn't been born on earth but had simply forgotten most of their culture, Wikus clung to Christopher.

"M'fine. Why would you think otherwise?"

"The fact you are not embarrassed about attaching yourself to my arm in public is a good signal," Christopher remarked dryly, but made no move to remove his arm from Wikus' hold. Instead, he calmly lead them away and towards where they would receive food. They didn't eat with the other people, but with the clothed prawn, who had gotten used to Wikus' presence in their midst, even though he was one of the few unclothed prawn eating there.

"Can't I just want to touch you today?" Wikus sulked, before tensing, realising that it could be taken another way then he had intended.

"Of course, but you do not often want to," Christopher said, taking the words at face value, although the look he shot Wikus said he'd heard the other meaning but had disregarded it.

Wikus released Christopher's arm only when they reached the doorway to their private eating spot. "They told me I had to get a job," Wikus blurted out, when Christopher began to type the key into the door's entrance pad.

He paused, his fingers hovering over the keys. He tapped one of the bottom glowing words, and the keypad made a noise, and dulled. "You understand that is not for a very long time?" Christopher said, drawing him away from the door so they could talk in some semblance of privacy in the tunnel-way.

"I know, but I have no skills, Christopher! Unless you count what I-I _did_ on earth, then I have nothing!"

Christopher sighed, and rubbed his closed eyes, as if Wikus was being unreasonable. "Idiot," he muttered.

"I am not an idiot!" Wikus snapped.

"Not you! Your teacher. She forgot to mention that they will _train_ you for something, if you have no skills in something! They won't just command that you get a job and leave you on your own," Christopher explained, brushing the side of Wikus' face with the tips of his fingers, in a comforting gesture. "And, if you do not wish to work, then my job can support you rather than you being forced to take a job. It is not measured on how much money, like on earth, you earn but the amount of work your job does. My Job can support you and Oliver if neither of you wish to work for the rest of your lives."

"But, how does that even work?" Wikus cried, looking frustrated. The Poleepkwan way was so different from Human that it was like two sides warring within him, whenever he tried to do something on this planet. His new Poleepkwan side and his former human.

"Can this wait until after food?" Christopher asked, a tired expression on his face and his shoulders slightly slumped.

"No. I want - no _need - _to understand. Please."

"It is not important, Wikus. Like I said, it will take years before they expect you to take a job. I will talk to the woman, and ask her to better explain this 'job' business to her students. I'm sure more people are struggling with it too, since she explained it so poorly." He led Wikus back towards the door, tapping the keys with his fingers quickly.

Wikus hated this. Christopher just wouldn't explain some things, avoiding them and telling him he'd understand some day.

Wikus yanked his arm out of Christopher's grasp, just as the door slid open. "Wikus!"

"I'm not hungry," he growled. He knew the clothed prawn were watching them through the doorway, else he would have continued. Instead, he turned his back on Christopher and hurried down the hallway, ignoring the single call of his name.

Christopher didn't understand! Wikus needed to know these things, he needed to understand. It wasn't like he had grown up with it all, so he knew it all instinctively. No. He had to learn every little tiny thing that even a child would know! It was frustrating and made everything so much harder.

He wished he knew someone else to ask all these questions too, but Oliver was too young and Joseph and Amelia were born on earth, so wouldn't know either. He hadn't even seen them yet, barely allowed out of Christopher's sight for a few hours for class, let alone to go try and find his friends.

Gah! He screamed in his head, outwardly looking extremely irritated, but making no sound as he traversed the hallways. He was fully aware that he was lost but didn't care at that moment. All that mattered was that he was away from Christopher.

"Wikus!"

Damn it.

He turned, but it wasn't Christopher calling out to him, but Oliver. "What are you doing out here, Wikus?" He asked, panting a little, having run down the tunnel to catch up to him. "Did you loose father?"

"No," he said, honestly. He hadn't 'lost' him, that would imply that parting was accidental. He had purposely left his company. "I wasn't hungry, so I wanted to go lay down instead."

"You're going to wrong way," Oliver pointed out. "Why didn't father walk you back?"

"He was really hungry," Wikus lied. "Can you show me?"

"Sure." A hand was slipped into his and he was pulled down the tunnel-way, the boy talking the whole way back to their room. How Oliver and Christopher found anything in the maze of tunnels was just amazing to Wikus, who had yet to find anything unique or different about them to be able to direct himself by.

There was probably some sneaky way, that Christopher hadn't told him. He scowled, his short-lived good mood disappearing quickly.

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Oliver asked, opening the door and ushering Wikus into their room. "I can go get fath-"

"No!" Wikus quickly interrupted. "I'll be fine." He gave Oliver a short hug, perhaps hoping to distract him. "I just need to sleep."

"If you're sure?" Oliver said, waiting for Wikus' nod, before hugging him back and slipping out of the room. "Sleep well, Wikus!" He chirped, and hurried off down the hall, the door closing behind him with a hiss.

Wikus stood there a moment, before falling into the bed, burying himself in the furs as much as he could. He was already regretting skipping food, but refused to leave the bedding. He wasn't going to go after Christopher, since he would likely get himself hopelessly lost if he tried, and he just didn't want to.

Alright.

So maybe he shouldn't have stormed off, but he had a right to know these things. He sighed, closing his eyes. Maybe he could sleep. He had come here to pretend to sleep so what was the harm in actually sleeping?

It would make sense.

However, his body did not agree with him.

He tossed and turned, trying to stay completely hidden under the bed, pausing only when he heard the door to the room slide open. The sound of feet approaching made him wince and hoped he was still hidden. Perhaps they were not aware of where he was?

"I would have answered you, after eating. You did not have to be quiet so dramatic about it." Hands reached under the furs, grabbing hold of his shoulders and pulling him from the material. He scowled as he came up, Christopher staring down at him. There was a plate of food by the bed which Christopher had brought in, but it was not important at the time.

"Oh really? How was I supposed to know that you wouldn't just 'forget'?" Wikus grumped, pulling away from Christopher.

"Because..." Christopher began, and sighed, rubbing his neck. "Okay, I get it." He grabbed the plate of food and held it out to Christopher. "Eat. I won't explain anything to you until you're fed, but I will explain it to you. I promise."

Wikus hesitated but took the offered plate, settling down and picking off the food he knew, placing it into his mouth with just his hands. There were no utensils on Home, just hands.

"You don't have to stay silent while _I'm_ eating," Wikus pointed out dryly, when Christopher made no effort to start explaining. Christopher gave him an unamused look, before plucking some food from Wikus' plate and placing it into his own mouth purposely. Wikus scowled but made no further complaint as he finished his food, Christopher picking off a few pieces here and there for himself.

"All done," he said, placing the empty plate beside the bedding and turning to stare at Christopher. "Now explain."

Christopher sighed. He laid back on the bedding, but made no gesture for Wikus to do to same, so he stayed sitting, still watching him. "Our race does not rely on money. Everyone has an equal say over food, and an equal chance of a private Rest spot, as long as they take a job within the Hive. It can be grunt work, or it can be something more specialised. However, the hirer up and more specialized the job, the more it allows for family's to not take jobs. Say you had a very important job, your family would not be required to take jobs because you were doing as much work as your whole family could do - as grunts or some other menial tasking job - by yourself. So effectively, you have taken a job for them, because your job is a higher rank."

Wikus blinked.

"Confusing, I'm sure," Christopher snorted, closing his eyes. "My status as a 'Hero'-" he made a vague gesture to the cloth around his shoulders which was now crinkled "- means that I should not have to work, nor my family. As I have still taken a job, and retain my status as a hero, you will not be required to take a job unless you choose to." He opened one eye, to look at Wikus. "Make sense?"

"Why didn't you just tell me this before?" Wikus asked, reaching out and pulling the white cloth off Christopher's shoulder. He folded it carefully and placed it beside the bed, before sprawling out next to the other male. He knew how much Christopher hated that piece of cloth."There is nothing embarrassing or upsetting in or about that explanation."

"Yes there is," Christopher muttered, looking at Wikus through partially closed eyes.

"Like what?" Wikus asked, expecting something about the male's status.

Christopher winced. "I would prefer it if you would not ask."

"What? For god's sake, Christopher, not this. Just tell me, okay?" He scowled, crossing his arms and glaring at Christopher.

The male sighed, suddenly looking much tireder. What was his job? He always seemed so exhausted and worn down, whenever rest or feeding came around. Busy with his own thoughts, Wikus almost missed Christopher starting to speak.

"It is not that you are considered a part of my family, as Oliver is," Christopher said quietly, keeping his eyes on the roof. "It is that, in the eyes of our people, you are considered...my..."

The door slid open, the hissing noise cutting off whatever it was that Christopher had said.

"Father! The elders wish to talk to you," Oliver chirped, peeking in the doorway and looking rather apologetic. "I know you said not to disturb you and Wikus but they say it's urgent."

"Damn," Wikus cursed, as Christopher practically lept to his feet, obviously eager to avoid the conversation. "You have to tell me later, okay? Promise?" He called after the other male, who was fast tracking it out of the room.

"See you after your nap," Christopher said instead, patting his son's shoulder on the way out even though his words were addressed to Wikus.

"It's not a nap, it's a afternoon rest and don't think you can avoid my questions forever!" He snapped, although Christopher was long gone.

Oliver looked between Wikus and the now closed door. "Did something happen between you and father?" He seemed a little too pleased at that prospect.

"No!" Wikus snapped, burying himself back under the furs. "Now I need to sleep."

"Okay," Oliver agreed quickly, a disappointed expression on his face, sensing the ominous mood of the room. "Sweet rest." He pushed aside some of the furs and embraced the other male, before hurrying from the room and taking the empty food plate with him.

Damn it.

Oliver could always make him feel guilty for being in a bad mood.

"Oliver," Wikus called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Want to stay and talk for a while? I don't think I can sleep straight away."

Oliver's face lit up, and he bounced back to the bed, already talking well before he'd settled himself beside Wikus.

.

.

**Author's Note: Thank you to reviews for the last chapter! I am glad everyone is enjoying the pace of Wikus and Christopher.  
**

**Next chapter contains a 'date', a confession and one sulky Wikus. Not strictly in that order ;D  
**

**Reviews are very much appreciate,**

**-Liaa  
**


	19. Underneath The Same Bright Star

**Underneath The Same Bright Star **

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"How are the earth-born settling into the city, Umjher?"

"They are adjusting. The teachings are still confusing them, and sometimes they are shaky on where they stand within the hive but they are content at the moment."

"Good, good. And you?"

"Me, my elder?"

"How are you settling? You have been away for a fair while. Do you need a catch-up course?"

A threat. That's what that sounded like.

"No, my elder. I remember our ways well."

"Good, good. You have taken a rest-mate, have you not?"

He tensed slightly, barely noticeable. "Yes. Roi'jerrrl."

"It makes you uncomfortable to speak of such things with me, Umjher?"

"Yes."

A whirl of laughter. "You are honest still. I appreciate that. Do you intend to take Roi'jereal to the Day of The Blossoms?"

"His name is Roi'jerrrl, my elder and yes, I do. Once I inform him of such."

"Ah, my apologies. I wish you well then."

"Thank you, my elder. Was that all you wished to speak of?"

"No, but I see that is all you are willing to talk about today, so I will let you go. Return to see me after the Day of the Blossoms." It wasn't a request.

"Yes, my elder."

The whirl of the door was there only fair-well and there were no further pleasantries exchanged as they parted ways.

Christopher lent against the wall outside the chambers of the elder. It was never the meetings with the elders that he was reluctant to face, but the singular meeting that he was drawn into against his will after each formal discussion. He leaned his head back against the well and closed his eyes.

The formal request from the elders had been a simple meeting, asking how he and his family were settling in and if he needed anything further, since he was the _hero_ of them all, he had to be made comfortable. It was hardly worth the trip into the depths of the hive to the centre of the swarm.

He sighed, shoulders slumping. He now had to start the long ascent back to his rooms, and he could only pray that Wikus was still there when he returned.

.

Pausing outside the door, he let his hand linger on the keypad. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation that would need to be had with Wikus now. He wouldn't let him put it off any longer, else Christopher really would never hear the end of it.

The door hissed as it opened. A lump in the bedding signified that Wikus was still in the room at least, and the sprawl of adolescent limbs beside the lump said that Oliver was still there too. Christopher shook his head in amusement as he listened to his son chatter and his...well...Wikus merely grunt or make some one-word response rather than actually paying attention to the conversation.

It was obvious that Wikus was not listening, nor did he want to listen either, but still Oliver continued to talk anyway. It made Christopher smile, it showed the depth of Wikus' affection for Oliver. At least he still cares for one of us, Christopher thought, somewhat dryly. He wasn't sure of the reception he would receive from Wikus after their last interruption, but at least it was not his fault that his explanation was interrupted?

"Father!" Oliver finally noticed his presence, perking up like a hatchling. Christopher rewarded him with a gentle look, before motioning to the door.

"Would you give us a minute, son?" He reserved the term 'son' for special moments. To some, it seemed like Christopher was reminding him of his place as his son, but it was instead to reaffirm the bonds they shared as family. Oliver smiled at him, crawling to his feet after patting Wikus' shoulder through the bedding.

"Alright, Father. I will go see Nngerae," Oliver said, bouncing towards the door. Nngerae was the guard who had been rather sweet to Oliver when they had been on their journey too and from earth, and had formed quite a bond with him it seemed. The male thankfully didn't mind Oliver tagging along with him on his duties, much like a second shadow - simply much, much louder.

Glancing towards the bedding again, Christopher was not surprised to see eyes peering out at him from beneath the bedding, but the look they harboured was hardly friendly. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, careful to move forward slowly before crouching - rather uncomfortably- and hold out a hand.

"I know you want an explanation, but Oliver will be back soon, and I would rather we're not interrupted again. Will you come with me?"

His hand dangled between them, waiting for a sign of what the other male was feeling. His answer was given as Wikus carefully placed his hand into Christopher's, and allowed the male to pull him upright and out of his hiding place.

.

.

Their hands stayed linked, even as they passed clothed Prawn, as they moved through the stream of tunnels. They were going up, Wikus noticed blandly, as they approached the exit to the nest. He hadn't been outside of the nest for weeks, or so it felt. He missed fresh air. He began to move faster with each step, resorting to almost tugging the amused Christopher along behind him like a child.

"Umjher!" An unfamiliar voice called, unfamiliar to Wikus at least, as the duo approached the gaping mouth which led to freedom. Christopher slowed, and drew Wikus to a stop beside him, the guard fast approaching.

"What is it?" Christopher asked, sounding faintly annoyed.

"You shouldn't go outside on your own, Umjher! It is dangerous. Give me a moment and I'll assemble a escort for you," the guard said, motioning to two loitering Prawn.

"No," Christopher quickly refused. "We'll be fine. I'm not alone, in any case, Roi'jerrrl is with me." He motioned to Wikus, and the male vaguely remembered his Polepkwan name that was given to him upon arrive. Umjher was Christopher's, but it sounded odd to Wikus, so he had simply never used it.

"But - " The guard tried to protest.

"Good eve', Guard," Christopher said pleasantly, but the speed of which he tugged Wikus away belied his attempt at politeness.

"The downside of being a hero," Wikus joked awkwardly. The first words he had spoken to Christopher since the interruption earlier. It was a bad joke, and wasn't even funny, but the smile that Christopher sent him was almost worth the poor attempt at humour.

.

.

Wikus' lungs were not what he was familiar with, and while walking had no hazardous effect, the exposure to the fresh and undiluted air caused him to pause. He lent on Christopher, as the male kept a close hold on him while he adjusted.

"Still getting used to this body," Wikus apologised dryly, and Christopher said nothing, preferring to instead keep hold of the male.

After moments had passed, and Wikus no longer felt like his chest was preparing to split open, they set off at a slow pace. The spongy floor tripped Wikus numerous times, amusing Christopher when they were overtaken and passed multiple times by groups of young children. Wikus' scowled, but the excitement of being outside again meant it was hard to stay annoyed.

"Where are we going?" Wikus asked after minutes had passed in silence and they could no longer see the mouth of the hive at all. Christopher smiled.

"Just a place I used to come when I was younger. I thought you would appreciate it, and it will let you see more of this world."

Wikus wanted to protest that he didn't want to see more, he just wanted to understand what he had seen before now, but he still kept silent. Again, silence stretched between them. Wikus longed to say something, anything, to fill the space that he felt between them, but he had nothing he could say.

"Ah! Almost there," Christopher said later, when Wikus was literally whirling with exhaustion. The 'not far' had turned out to be a little longer than Wikus' body could handle, and the whirling was similar to that of a human panting or struggling to breath. Christopher squeezed the hand he still held of Wikus', before helping him over a fallen tree of some sort. Or, Wikus assumed it was a tree. He just didn't know any more. Pushing through some low foliage that blocked their way, Christopher tugged Wikus out into the clearing of the forest.

The trees had given way to the clean, crisp moss-covering which, although it squelched under their feet as they moved further into the clearing, was speckled with little blue flowers. It gave the effect of droplets of water amongst the moss, though Wikus knew there was none, and the ground itself felt warm, not cold. There was a large body of a thick brown sludge in the centre of the clearing, the blue flowers in a larger abundance there than in the other areas of the field. The flowers were beautiful, the sludge, not so much.

"What is that?" Wikus asked, feeling slightly disgusted by the general consistency of the brown substance, as they moved closer to the pond.

"Water," Christopher spoke, sounding so confident that the brown substance was water, but Wikus wasn't so sure. It took a moment for the male to realise that it wasn't water, it was just their version of the word, and Wikus' brain - still human in many aspects - had connected 'water' with their term. It probably meant something completely different, he realised, thankful. He had drunk their drink before, which was what Wikus thought of as 'water', and it was nothing like the brown sludge.

"It looks - " Wikus trailed off, unable to think of a proper adjective that didn't start with 'C' and end in 'rap'. "-nice."

Christopher's eyes twinkled with amusement, and he nodded, moving them both closer. "I'm glad you think so, because we're getting into it."

Wikus would have paled, or turned green, had he still possessed the ability to do so. "What?" He nearly shrieked.

"I promise it's not bad," Christopher tried to tempt. "It's just like bathing."

It did not look like any type of 'bathing' that Wikus had done, and he shook his head. "No."

"Then I suppose I won't tell you why you don't need to take a job," Christopher mused, and released Wikus' hand. While the human turned prawn spluttered and stammered in outrage, Christopher stepped forward and straight into the sludge. He sunk down to his waist immediately, but continued to slowly sink until it reached his shoulders. He sighed, resting his head back on the edge of the pond, while Wikus watched in disgust and fascination.

"If I get in there," Wikus said slowly, "you will finally answer my questions?" If he had just stormed off, Christopher would have answered his questions without him having to jump into the sludge, but he didn't want to risk getting lost and it seemed cruel to taunt Christopher like that.

That was what Christopher had meant, Wikus thought dazedly, as the trees gave way to clean, crisp moss-covering which, although it squelched under their feet as they moved, was speckled with little blue flowers. It gave the effect of droplets of water amongst the moss, though Wikus knew there was none. There was a large body of water in the centre of the clearing, the blue flowers in a larger abundance there than in the field.

Christopher nodded, and kept his gaze on Wikus as the male edged closer. Wikus took a deep breath, regretting it instantly as his lungs throbbed in protest to the increase of air, before quickly stepping in before he lost his nerve.

Warmth was his first thought as he sunk into the sludge-like liquid. It held him up for a moment, before it gave way and allowed him to sink in. It was like mud, he realised, but a little more fluid then mud, but still equally as disgusting.

The expression on his face must not have been one of rapture or delight, as Christopher began to chuckle, the soft whirrling sound a familiar melody to Wikus. Christopher reached out and touched his hand in the brown sludge, patting it reassuringly.

"Wasn't too bad, was it?" Christopher asked, and while Wikus went to retort, the words stuck in his throat. Instead, a slow click of delight worked out of his throat as he began to tingle, as if someone was gently scrubbing his shell.

Christopher grinned. "There are tiny creatures in the water which act as a cleansing agent. It makes up for the disgusting appearance, I assure you." Wikus was barely listening, even as Christopher continued to talk. "Many couples come out to the Water Pouches. It's seen as a fairly intimate act, bathing together, but sometimes families come out here too." Had Wikus been listening, he might have had an inkling to what his answer to his question might have been, but he was suitably distracted by the pleasant feeling tingling his entire form.

Moments passed before a thought began to push through Wikus' comfort, and his eyes - which had slipped closed without his permission - snapped open. "Wait! You are supposed to be talking." He shot a look towards Christopher, making the male sigh. "You were hoping I would forget, weren't you?"

"Perhaps," Christopher admitted. "It would have made things much easier." He glanced to the side, as if he couldn't meet Wikus' eyes. "Shall we leave the water while we talk?"

Wikus hesitated. "We can still be comfortable and talk," he decided, reluctant to leave the pleasant, albeit distressingly coloured, sludge. "Please," he said, as silence threatened to grow. "Just...tell me."

"Do you remember how I said you were not considered my family, as Oliver is?" Christopher finally said, after a few moments of silence. He was not looking at Wikus still, instead focusing on a flower by his own hand on the pond's edge.

"Yes. What am I, your pet?" Wikus joked, hoping to lighten the mood but only received a frown for his efforts.

"If you're not going to be serious-"

"No, no! I am. Just, you look like you're going to tell me something that'll drive me away forever. Calm down, I can't go far. I'm stuck here, remember?" Wikus tried to soothe.

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, a dark expression crossed Christopher's face immediately. "Exactly."

"Christopher! Just _tell me_." Wikus begged, staring at the male who had taken him in and helped him get some semblance of a life back. There was nothing he could say that would make him leave.

"My mate, Wikus. In their eyes, you are my spouse, my partner. Not even merely my Intended... My_ mate._"

Well, except that.

For a moment, he was stunned to silence, grateful for the water thick form around him, or he may have slipped and drowned. Accidentally of course.

Christopher watched him, a kicked puppy expression on his face, mixed with a look that said he knew this would not end well.

"W-what?" Wikus stammered, even though he had heard him fine.

"See? You were better off not knowing." Christopher looked like he wanted to launch himself from the slime and disappear, but Wikus grasped his arm, just in case he tried.

"That's why I share your bedding, why you didn't want me to claim my own when Oliver was able to claim his. Isn't it?"

Christopher nodded, reluctantly.

"a-and why you walk me to and from learning? It's not just because you think I'll get lost on my own?"

Another nod. This time, it was slightly amused.

"Does Oliver know about t-this belief? That's why he's been acting so cheerful! He thinks we...we're..."

Christopher nodded again, staring at Wikus.

Wikus really wished Christopher would shake his head, at least once, to these questions that he was babbling out.

"Wait," Wikus said slowly, realising something. "You said '_they_' see me as your...partner. You...the walking me to and from Learning, keeping me in your bedding with you, that has nothing to do with how _they_ see me...unless you...see me like _that_ too?"

This was the question he really wished Christopher would shake his head to, but he didn't.

He didn't even nod.

He just stared at Wikus, that sad look on his face and Wikus knew the answer was _yes_.

.

.

**Author's Note: **

**A longer chapter as an apology.  
**

**I can't apologise for my absence, because it needed to happen, but I'm sorry that I wasn't able to keep you updated. This is what annoys me about fanfic, you can't post interim updates on progress or hiatus reasons, on here. If anyone cares for the reason this was left not-updated for so long, it is simply because I had exams, assessments, a new job and health problems to deal with, so you can understand why I needed the break. This story wasn't forgotten, as you can see.  
**

**Also, as a general note, the 'M' rating is not because of future explicit slash when the pair do get together, but rather because of the mature nature of the relationship (i.e. this will not depict anything sexual between them, I am simply not comfortable with that depiction, so apologies to anyone who was expecting that in later chapters. I realised earlier descriptions of the 'M' rating might not have made it clear why the rating was necessary.) **

**I can say 'sorry!' for the cliffhanger though, but I felt it was needed. Wikus is a bit thrown by Christopher's explanation. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I appreciated all of them, and I hope you have not lost faith in my during my absence.**

**Much love,**

**-Liaa**

**(Very long author's note, but I have a lot to say. Also! This story will end in around 4-6 chapters and there is no sequel planned. )  
**


	20. There's Love To be Found

**There's Love To Be Found (If You Just Stick Around)**

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The days following the declaration were tense. Although both Wikus and Christopher continued their lives as if everything was normal, but Oliver knew it was not. Oliver spent more time out of the den with that guard, instead of in the pair's presence. Wikus was still escorted to and from learning by Christopher, and they still shared a bedding. Unfortunately, the distance between them was more than physical.

Christopher was honestly just waiting for Wikus to up and leave him, and Wikus was...well, he wasn't really sure what he was waiting for. If he had been a religious man, he would have been waiting for God to give him a sign, but he couldn't find the energy to believe in a higher deity to save him. It was just him, and Prawns, millions of miles away from earth.

"You and Father need to talk about whatever is bothering you," Oliver announced as they shared a lunch in their room, Christopher absent yet again.

"There's nothing bothering us," Wikus lied, not raising his gaze from his food, which still looked like catfood to the earth born.

"I'm young, Wikus," Oliver said dryly, "not stupid. Just...talk to him? He really cares for you."

Wikus raised his gaze. "You knew, didn't you?"

"Knew what?"

"That I was," he hesitated, "seen as your Father's mate. His partner."

"Yes," Oliver said, not even batting an eye. "Of course I did."

Wikus slammed his plate down. "And you didn't think to tell _me_?" He yelled, startling the younger prawn, who had never had Wikus raise his voice to him since setting foot on Home.

"I-I thought you knew," Oliver stammered. "You shared his bedding. You let him escort you! I thought you knew...that he was courting you."

"Courting?"

"Well, yes. In his eyes, you're his mate, but in everyone else' eyes, you're just his intended. They've acknowledged the courtship though, since you've been allowed to stay here with us," Oliver explained, eyes fixed to his plate. His finger was swirling his foot around, no longer eating, just...watching it.

"So I can still get out of this?" Wikus asked hopefully, but flinched as Oliver raised heartbroken eyes to his.

"You don't want to be part of our family?" He asked, sounding dejected.

"I - " Wikus started, but found himself unable to continue. Did he? He had a family. His angel. Sweet, sweet...Anna? No. That wasn't right...Tamsyn? No...Tonia? Oh god, he thought, squeezing his eyes shut, he didn't even remember her name! Sweet angel. Did she remember him? Did she see him in her dreams, the man he used to be?

"I have a family," Wikus forced out, his voice choked. "I don't need another one."

Oliver's shoulders slumped, and he placed his plate on the ground. "I see." He pushed himself up, arms wrapped around himself. "I'm going to go find Nngerae," he said quickly, and left before Wikus could protest.

Again, he was left alone.

Alone with his thoughts.

Alone with his memories.

He laid back on the furs he shared with, not his angel, but with another male. On earth, he would have punched someone if they had told him he would be sharing a bed with a male in the future. He would have told them to get fooked, he wasn't gay.

This wasn't about being Gay though. The label barely crossed his mind.

This was about letting go.

His sweet angel.

Could he really let her go?

Could he really let his humanity go, for good?

A low whine worked from his throat, as he curled up, burying his face in his hands.

He couldn't.

He loved her.

How could he let her go?

.

.

He slept for the next two days, not leaving the bedding and not speaking a word to Christopher nor Oliver, no matter how they prodded. His sleep was fitful and not restful, littered with dreams of sweet smelling fruits and beautiful golden hair. His angel. He only ever saw the hair out of the corner of his eye, but he knew it was her.

His sweet...Luisa?

No.

Why couldn't he remember her name?

Perhaps...her name had been Angel? He always called her his angel. Yes. She must be Angel. His sweet Angel.

"Can't we just forget it happened?" Christopher whispered to him as he crawled in beside him in the furs on the night of the third day of 'sleep'.

Wikus shook his head, his eyes focused on the other male, searching for something he couldn't seem to find in the other's face. "No. I can't."

Christopher closed his eyes as if something pained him deep inside and nodded his head, rolling over to turn his back to Wikus.

Wikus wasn't sure why that hurt so much.

.

.

He grew sick on the third morning. Oliver stayed the day in his bedding with him, keeping a close watch over him. Christopher checked in often, but duties often called him away. The medics were called, but no one could figure out what was going on with Wikus. He was healthy, but sick.

It was only as Wikus watched Oliver sleep peacefully beside him, a boy who had been so young when he first saw him but now growing into a lovely adult, that Wikus realised what was wrong. It hurt when he breathed, but no physical presence was there to stop his heart from thumping.

It was plain old heart ache, and it couldn't cured by the medics.

Oliver wasn't sleeping well, Wikus realised, noting the way the boy had slumped almost boneless into the bedding. He was exhausted. Wikus was worrying him. The elder prawn sighed, closing his eyes tightly as he felt the boy shift. Wikus grasp the hand which reached for him. The boy probably didn't realise how often he'd reach for Wikus the last few days. It was a reassurance that he was still there, that he hadn't left.

Leaving.

Wikus hadn't even thought to.

But he had to do something.

Things were different now. They weren't ever going to be how they used to be. He had to wake up.

His chest ached, his eyes stung and the guilt of how much pain he was putting Oliver and Christopher through was gnawing at his stomach.

He had to say goodbye.

.

.

Wikus moved quietly throughout the tunnels. He had to be quick, or else Oliver would wake up and worry. It was strange having someone to worry for him again, but he liked it. It was like...having a _son_. Wikus had always wanted children, but Angel hadn't. She didn't want to ruin her figure, or something like that. He didn't know. Maybe he hadn't wanted kids? He wanted Oliver though. He liked Oliver.

He reached the room he'd sought, the movements to enter the room almost second nature to him now.

"Ah, Wikus," the Poleepkwan inside said, smiling. Rrral knew Wikus from Learning, as they were both getting the 'refresher' course on how to be good citizens. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to send a message to earth," he blurted out, causing Rrral to blink. Rrral was the messenger. He could send messages from hives to hives, or out into space to neighbouring planets. Even to earth.

"Did we leave someone behind?" Rrral asked, horrified.

"No," Wikus denied. "Or...no, _we_ didn't. But..._I_ did," he tried to explain. Rrral looked confused, but nodded.

"It might take a few years to get there though, and they wouldn't have the technology to send it back. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. This...won't need a reply."

Rrral looked more and more lost as the conversation went, but nodded. "Okay. I'll...get you something to write on." He shifted, reaching into one of the crevices in the wall and pulling out what appeared to be a sheet of metal. Wikus took it gingerly, afraid of the metal that was his only message home.

"Thank you," Wikus whispered, and took a seat in one of the room's benches.

"I'll leave you to write," Rrral said, leaving the room quickly, even though it was his own room and Wikus was the one who should have left.

Wikus took a deep breath, and began to write, his body protesting at forming the familiar, and yet unfamiliar, human letters.

.

.

It took him almost an hour to write something that he might be able to stomach sending home. He asked Rrral to make a copy and just like that, the message was sent off. Sent out into space, to drift until it finally hit earth. It would take years, and Wikus may never hear back. The message on the front of the pod would direct whoever found it to his Angel, or what he could remember of her. He knew she was rich, and that they would remember him. So he had addressed it simply to: "The former Wife of Wikus Van De Merwe". They would direct it to Angel, after examining it for plans of re-invasion.

Hopefully, it would make it to her in tact.

If not, he supposed it didn't really matter.

It was done.

Sent.

...Over.

"Wikus!" A familiar voice shrieked, and a hard body collided with his sending him reeling back and slamming against the opposite wall of the tunnel. He kept hold of the sheet in his hand, but wrapped the other around the smaller body. Oliver. "I thought you'd run away!" Oliver cried, face pressed to his chest plate.

Wikus felt a stab of guilt, and tightened his hold on the youth. "Never," he whispered, resting his head atop the boy's. "I just...needed to do something."

"Then perhaps next time you should let us know," a voice said, slightly bitter, "so we don't have to worry over _nothing._"

He raised his head to stare at Christopher, who stood not far away, arms crossed and shoulders covered in white cloth.

"I'm sorry," Wikus said, locking gazes. "I'll do better next time."

Something clicked in Christopher's eyes, and the gaze softened. This wasn't just apologising for Wikus' disappearing. "I'm sure you will. Are you finished now?" Christopher held out a hand. Christopher forgave too easily, especially when it came to Wikus. Perhaps it was a bad thing, but Wikus was grateful for the second chance.

Wikus kept one arm around Oliver, and outstretched the other hand to Christopher. It held the sheet, dangling between them like a precarious olive branch. "Yeah. I am."

.

.

_My Sweet Angel,_

_I miss you. A lot. It's hard to bear some days. _

_And yet...other days, it's not. _

_I met someone here. He's nice. He's got a son. I tried to kill them both on earth and yet they've been the only thing that saved me here. It's kind of like having a family again.  
_

_I'm happy, I think. I don't really know what 'happy' is any more, but when I'm with them, I don't feel like I'm just some dumb human they rescued. I feel...like I'm Home. I think that means I'm happy. I really miss being happy. I want us both to be happy, my love. I'm tired of looking back.  
_

_._

_.  
_

**Author's Note:**

**I was a little nervous posting this chapter, I don't know if it's exactly how I planned it to be but it still turned out how I hoped. I know Wikus acted a bit like a jerk last chapter, so this is sort of the 'this is why he's a jerk' chapter. Also, that's not all of Wikus' letter to home, just a snippit. The full letter will be in the next chapter.  
**

**I think this story is coming to an end faster than I expected, so be warned, it may end in a chapter or two instead of the 3-4 I had originally thought. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I'm glad you are all still interested! **

**Feedback for this chapter is very much appreciated! **

**Much love,**

**-Liaa**

**(also, sorry for any typos/errors, this wasn't as edited as it normally would be.)  
**


	21. After a Hurricane comes a Rainbow

**Chapter Twenty One: **After a Hurricane comes a _Rainbow_

.

.

_My Sweet Angel,_

_I miss you. A lot. It's hard to bear some days. _

_And yet...other days, it's not. _

_I met someone here. He's nice. He's got a son. I tried to kill them both on earth and yet they've been the only thing that saved me here. It's kind of like having a family again.  
_

_I'm happy, I think. I don't really know what 'happy' is any more, but when I'm with them, I don't feel like I'm just some dumb human they rescued. I feel...like I'm Home. I think that means I'm happy. I really miss being happy. I want us both to be happy, my love. I'm tired of looking back._

_You've met someone new, haven't you? I overheard a guard in D-10. It _hurt_ to overhear it, but I know why you did it. I'm different. You're different. We're just...not who we used to be. I hope you're happy, and that he loves you as much as I did. As much as I still do._

_But I'll never fit into that word again, my sweet angel, and you would hate this one. (A _lot_, let me tell you. It's crazy, and odd, and...utterly captivating to me.) _

_I love you. A lot. And I miss you. A lot.  
_

_I think I always will.  
_

_But this is me, letting you go, so we can both have a brighter tomorrow. You've moved on, and I think it's time I did the same.  
_

_All my (human) love,  
_

_- Wikus Van De Merwe  
_

_a.k.a, Roi'jerrrl._

_._

_._

Wikus knew the second that Christopher had finished reading the letter, even before those dark eyes were raised to meet his. He could see the way Christopher's hands clenched on the sheet, and the way his eyes narrowed - in contemplation? In distaste? Wikus didn't know anymore.

He unknowingly tightened his hold on Oliver. Christopher forgave easily, yes, but would he forgive him this time?

Olive shifted, blatantly curious over the letter but reluctant to let Wikus go, in case he ran away again. He didn't care what the letter said, he decided, resting his cheek against Wikus' chest plate. He just didn't want Wikus to leave again.

"Is this true?" Christopher asked, breaking the silence with his hoarse voice. "Do...Did you mean this?" He shook the sheet, staring at Wikus with intense eyes.

"Ah," Wikus stammered, before nodding firmly. "Yes."

"You're letting her go? For good?" Christopher tried to clarify. His hands held so tight to the sheet that Wikus was afraid it might snap. Oliver's gaze snapped to Wikus' face, and father and son stared at the male who had entered their life so oddly - and changed it completely.

"Yes," Wikus repeated, his voice holding firm this time, though he could not meet their gaze. "I have to."

Christopher stared. "You don't _have_ to do anything, Wikus." Oliver went to protest, but was silenced by his father's gaze.

"Yes, yes I do," Wikus protested. "I should have done this months, _years_ ago. I shouldn't have..."

"Held onto her for so long? You loved her, Wikus, and you still do. No one would blame you for that. Yes, You have to let her go, but not because people think you _should_ but because you're _ready_ to let her go."

Wikus made a choked noise, glancing at Christopher and finally - _finally_ - meeting his gaze. "When did you get so smart?" Wikus tried to joke, with a tired - albeit bitter - laugh.

Christopher shook his head. "I'm not smart, Wikus. If I were smart, I would have admitted everything to you earlier. I would have courted you openly." He hesitated. "You would have been my mate now, had I been smarter. I'm just a coward."

Both Wikus and Oliver made protesting noises and Wikus outstretched a hand to him. He grasped onto the other male's wrist and tugged, drawing him closer to them. "You're not a coward," Wikus denied firmly and Oliver nodded emphatically.

"I am," Christopher said, with a half smile.

"Then I'm a big coward," Wikus pointed out.

"We can be cowardly together!" Oliver announced firmly and Wikus laughed.

Together.

Was this what being happy was about? Not caring about what you were, as long as you were with someone you l...cared about? Someone who cared about you?

"What do you think, Wikus?" Christopher asked quietly, running his hand up Wikus' arm soothingly. "Do you want to be cowardly together?"

Wikus hesitated.

He had let his Angel go. For good.

But was he ready for this?

Was he ready to _move on_?

He took a deep breath. "Yes."

Christopher wrapped his arms around both his intended and his son, holding tightly to them in the deserted corridor. All three ignored the sound of the metal sheet hitting the floor. Wikus gave a small laugh as Oliver squeezed him extra tight.

He was tired. He was sore. He still felt sick. He'd just left everything he knew behind him. He had left his _humanity_ behind him.

But he was happy.

Actually _happy_.

.

.

Wikus was not sure what he was expecting, but silence was not one of them.

Returning to their nest, Oliver had squealed something about going to talk to Nngerae about what had just happened and fled, leaving Wikus and Christopher in silence.

Wasn't there meant to be some excitement? Some joy, now they were intended or mates or whatever they were?

Or even , Wikus was slightly confused by this thought, some sort of..._honeymoon_? He didn't even know how...that...would happen.

Christopher had taken a seat on their furs, shedding his white cloth and placing it carefully beside the bedding. He watched Wikus thought curious eyes, as if waiting to see what he would do now.

"I'm not going to freak out," Wikus announced, without thinking.

Christopher, instead of looking confused, looked...amused. "That's good." He patted the spot beside him on the furs and Wikus hesitated, before seating himself in the suggested spot.

"So," Wikus said, when the silence stretched between them. "What now?"

Christopher sighed, and wrapped an arm around Wikus' shoulders, wincing as the male tensed. "I'm not going to rush you into anything, Wikus," Christopher said softly. "I have waited this long for you to wake up and realise my intent. I do not wish to rush you while you are still mourning for your former mate."

"I'm not mourning for her!"

"You are," Christopher repeated, rubbing Wikus arm. Wikus unconsciously leaned into Christopher, resting against his chest. "But it's okay. I can wait, as long as you need me to. You need to know who you are, before you know who we are, as a...couple."

Wikus considered that for a moment, before nodding.

"But...we are a...couple, right?" He hesitated.

Christopher gave that familiar whirling laugh, his mandibles brushing against the side of Wikus' head. "Yes, we are." It was the first sign of _non-platonic _affection. Wikus waited for the freak-out to occur, for him to panic and push away.

It didn't happen.

Instead, Wikus smiled, and leaned more fully against Christopher.

.

.

Weeks passed in comfortable silence. Oliver seemed content that his two 'parent figures' were intended to one another and Christopher seemed similiarly conntent with his claim on Wikus.

Wikus, however, was getting frustrated.

He was not sure how long a 'mourning period' was, but Christopher had barely hugged, or talked to him alone since he agreed to be his future mate.

"Are you okay, Roi'jerrrl?" Nngerae asked, Oliver's Guard friend. The male was escorting Wikus to Learning, since Oliver was...somewhere, and Christopher had a meeting with the elders again.

"Yeah," Wikus said, nodding. He liked the Guard. He was a nice male, and he seemed to enjoy Oliver's constant chatter. He hesitated. "Nngerae?"

"Yes, Roi'jerrl?"

"How long is a Polepkwan Mourning Period?"

"Mourning period?" Nngerae looked confused. "For whom?"

"A mate."

"Ah," Nngerae chuckled. "As long as the person feels comfortable. There is no set time. In fact, it can not exist at all, if the person is sure that their new mate is who they want. Some older-style Polepkwan insist on at least a week, as a 'cooling off' period. Why?" The guard looked curious.

Wikus hesitated. "Promise you will not tell Oliver?"

Nngerae looked confused, for a moment, before he remembered Oliver was his friend's earth name. "If it does not concern Oliver, I will not tell him."

"Fair enough." Wikus took a deep breath. "I left a mate on earth."

"She died?" Nngerae asked, sympathetically. They paused outside the Learning room.

"Ah...yes," Wikus said. It was easier then explaining Wikus' transformation and things. "I...wish to take another, but he...they insist that I must mourn for her first."

Nngerae didn't seem concerned by the slip up of 'he' rather then 'she'. "Have you mourned for her?"

"Yes." Wikus nodded.

"Does he - I mean, they -" Nngarea hid a smile "- know you've done this?"

"Yes."

Nngerae shrugged, tapping the door to open it. "Then it sounds like they are just afraid of what to do next. Maybe you should show them what you're ready for, and take it from there? You're earth-born, Roi'jerrrl. He's probably just afraid of scaring you off."

Wikus frowned, but nodded. "Thank you, Nngerae." He smiled at the younger male. "I might do that."

Nngerae grinned. "No problem, Roi'jerrrl. Hey," he called out, stopping Wikus from moving too far into the room. "Are you going to the Day of the Blossoms?"

"What's that?" Wikus asked, stepping back to the door.

"It's a courting festival," Nngerae explained, "and general festival. There are large flowering plants towards the center hives. We travel out to see them and celebrate the bloom." He hesitated. "I'm taking Oliver."

"To court him?" Wikus asked, shocked. _Oliver_ was getting courted before Wikus? That was...kind of sad.

Nngerae laughed outright. "No! He was hoping his father might take the hint if I went with him, that he would have _you_ alone and could court _you_ properly. Why? Is my courting your son so horrific a thought?"

There were so many things to react to in that sentence, Wikus felt his head spin. "My son?" He latched onto the last.

"I know who you're courting, Roi'jerrrl, and Oliver won't shut up about you. You've got a good family," Nngerae said. "Why don't you invite Umjher to the festival? Might show him that you're ready to make it official."

Wikus stammered. "Ah...Yes...Thanks, again. For the advice." He hesitated. "And for what it's worth, Oliver could do a lot worse then you!"

Nngerae laughed again, the whirling loud and heartfelt. "Thanks, Roi'jerrrl. I think." He chuckled. "Enjoy your class."

Wikus entered the room, taking a seat beside two familiar faces, smiling at them and exchanging small talk - his mind still on the festival and his intended.

.

.

**Author's Note: **

**Sorry for the delay guys. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. **

**Reviews are very much appreciated,**

**-Liaa**

**(Sorry for typos. Again, this isn't as edited as it normally is.)  
**


	22. I'm A Survivor

**Chapter Twenty-Two: **I'm a Survivor.

.

.

Wikus just_ knew_ that Nngerae had told Oliver what he'd suggested to him, that he should take Christopher to the Festival. How did Wikus know that Oliver knew? Because the younger Polepkwan kept grinning and looking between his father and Wikus for the _entire_ evening meal.

This, Wikus decided, was why he resolved to never tell Oliver anything secretive.

Christopher looked confused, but seemed to shrug it off as just his son being weird.

As soon as Oliver had finished his food, he placed his plate to the floor and announced he was going to see Nngerae. Wikus was grateful he was leaving, since he wasn't sure if he'd have the courage to ask Christopher when the boy was present, but terrified that the boy was leaving the pair alone. What if Wikus couldn't speak and they just sat there in awkward silence?

He didn't really have a choice, as Oliver gave them both a quick hug each and left the room - assumingly to actually find Nngerae and giggle over their attempt at matchmaking.

Why had he decided to listen to the guard again?

"Are you alright, Wikus?" Christopher asked, placing his empty plate atop Oliver's on the floor, stacking the dishes neatly. "You have been silent all day."

Wikus forced a smile, and placed his plate down - not completely finished but he couldn't stomach any more food at the moment. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me so much," Wikus scolded lightly. If Christopher just stopped worrying about him, Wikus wouldn't need to invite him to the Festival, because Christopher wouldn't think he was still mourning and he would actually ask him himself!

"I enjoy worrying over you, Wikus," Christopher admitted. "You need someone to."

The smile Wikus gained was not as forced now. "I know, and I do appreciate it. It's just-" he cut himself off. He wasn't going to moan about Christopher needing to stop thinking he was mourning. That was the _worst_ way to start up the conversation.

"Just - what?" Christopher prompted.

"Nothing. I, uh, heard something interesting in lessons today," Wikus said, skilfully changing the subject.

"Oh?" Christopher asked, shifting so he was sitting next to Wikus instead of across from him on the floor.

"Yeah," Wikus agreed, enjoying the solid presence beside him. "A, uh, festival is coming up?"

Christopher didn't seem effected by the news. "Yes, the Day of the Blossoms."

"Well," Wikus continued, staring now at his hands. "Iwasthinkingwecouldgotogether."

When sentences ran together in English, they were sometimes able to be deciphered due to the different noises. Unfortunately, Polepkwan run-on sentences sounded almost exactly like just one long whirl, making it extremely hard to figure out what was said.

"Say that again?" Christopher prompted, confused.

Wikus blanched. He'd already said it _once_, why did Christopher want him to repeat it? It was hard enough the first time.

"Iwasthinkingwecouldgotogether," he said again, just as quickly.

Christopher laughed this time. "Again, Wikus, but _slower_." He placed a hand on Wikus' arm, attempting to soothe him but it did the opposite.

Wikus took a deep, steadying breath and tried to make his mouth move slower.

"I wanted us to go together - to the festival," Wikus said slowly, staring at his hands which rested in his lap. Wikus felt like he was asking out Angel again. He'd be so nervous the first time, he'd almost passed out due to anxiety while waiting outside the door for her to come downstairs - but that might have been due to the fact Wikus was waiting with Angel's father, a very intimidating man.

Christopher hesitated. "Do you know what this means, Wikus?" He asked. "Do you know...the reason for this festival?"

"To celebrate the blossoms which bloom," Wikus answered promptly and saw Christopher's face fall. He wanted to laugh, but he didn't. "And as a courting ceremony, for intendeds," he added, and Christopher's gaze snapped to his.

"You do know," Christopher murmured, running his hand up Wikus' arm to his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to go with me? We can go as a family, us and Oliver."

Wikus shook his head. "No, Oliver's going with Nngerae," Wikus admitted and Christopher frowned.

"To court him?" Christopher demanded.

"No!" Wikus laughed, though he had asked the same question. "As friends. I think." He frowned. Nngerae had said it was a plan to get Wikus and Christopher alone at the festival, but he hadn't really denied that he might like to court Oliver.

He'd have to have a talk with that guard, he decided, before refocusing on his intended, who was gazing at him with some emotion which Wikus could not place.

"I would be honoured," Christopher began, "to be your escort to the Day of the Blossoms." He brushed his mandibles against Wikus' cheek, and Wikus leaned into his intended, resting his head upon the male's shoulder.

Well, he thought, that wasn't _so_ hard.

.

.

The day of the festival approached quickly, without Wikus noticing. It wasn't until Lessons that day that he realised what day it was, and spent the entire lesson nervously contemplating what would happen that noon, when everyone would begin their trek towards the blooms.

He would walk with Christopher, and he knew the other male would not steer him astray, but still, what would happen?

He knew of the customs, barely. They would give thanks to the flowers with the blooms, eat, drink and be merry and then the courting festival would happen in the evening, when the sun began to set. Christopher had been sure to let him know what to expect, but it did not make the experience any less nerve-wracking.

Nngerae and Oliver were waiting outside the room for him when Lessons ended. Oliver grabbed his arm and began to lead him away, even before asking, "are you ready?" Nngerae just followed behind, looking amused.

"Yeah," Wikus assented. "I think I am."

_I hope I am._

.

.

The trek began after the midday meal, Christopher finding Wikus and Oliver in the dinning hall easily. He took Wikus' hand without hesitating, pulling him into him for a quick embrace before returning his gaze to his son.

"Ready?" He asked the two of them.

Oliver answered for both of them. "Of course we are! Let's go, I want to get there early."

Nngerae, who had been putting their dirty plates away, returned and grabbed hold of Oliver's arm before he could race of. "Do you want us to walk with you?" Nngerae asked Wikus and Christopher.

Christopher hesitated, eyeing the guard with a wary expression, before shaking his head. "No, we'll be fine. Do not let Oliver race too far ahead of the group though."

Oliver, who barely waited for his father's approval, tugged at Nngerae, eager to get moving.

"That might be hard, Umjher, but I will try!" Nngerae announced, laughing as he was pulled away by the hyperactive youth.

"They'd make a cute couple," Wikus remarked, mostly to tease Christopher, who had been rather short with Nngerae since finding out he was escorting Oliver to the festival.

"Wikus," Christopher groaned, shaking his head. "Do not say such things. My son is barely more than a hatchling. He should not be thinking of mates."

Wikus laughed. "Typical father. You just don't want him to grow up," he teased as they began to walk, hands still entwined.

"I do not," Christopher agreed seriously. "He is my only offspring. I will be sad once he has started his own brood."

"It will be a while yet," Wikus assured him sympathetically. "He is still young and, for what it's worth, I do not think Oliver sees this festival as anything relating to courting."

Christopher heaved a sigh and gave Wikus a gentle smile. "I hope you are right. I am not ready to lose him yet."

"You'll never lose him. He's still your son, whether he has a mate or not," Wikus said. "And just think. Grandhatchlings!"

The expression on Christopher's face was a mix of horror, wonder and complete mortification and Wikus could not help but laugh.

.

.

Within an hour, Wikus was sick of walking. He had become used to the pressure, but still it wore heavily on his unused muscles and he began to lean more and more on his future partner, who held his waist in a firm grip.

"Not long now," Christopher assured gently, sounding amused. Damn him, thought Wikus. Laughing at his weakness.

"Wikus!" A voice called out from behind him, causing Wikus to glance back. A smile bloomed in his eyes immediately as he spotted the duo.

"Joseph! Amelia!" Wikus called back to them, as they raced up, arms linked, to walk behind them. "You are going to the festival?"

"Yes," Joseph agreed, beaming at Wikus. "We are intending to announce our partnership tonight."

"I thought it was only a courting festival?" Wikus asked, releasing Christopher and turning, walking backwards so that he could look at the pair behind them. Christopher cast him an amused look and continued to walk forwards.

"That's early in the night," Amelia explained patiently. "Later, beneath the seven moons, we are allowed to announce our partnerships and they will become official."

"Oh," Wikus said, glancing at Christopher, who was staring pointedly ahead.

Joseph's eyes widened at the glance. "You and Umhjer?" He whispered, despite the fact Christopher would hear it easily.

Wikus gave an embarrassed smile. "Just courting," he explained, though his mind was on the later festival.

"Congratulations," Amelia offered, and Joseph quickly echoed the sentiment.

"Thank you," Christopher said, glancing back at them and giving them a slight nod. He didn't seem overly fond of the couple, but Wikus assumed it was because he had though he and Joseph involved at one point.

"Will we see you at the festival?" Wikus asked. He had missed the pair who had shared his tent on earth for so long.

"Yes," Jospeh agreed. "We'll find you and have a meal or a drink with you, I promise."

.

.

Joseph kept that promise to Wikus, staying for many hours at the festival grounds - a lovely lush flat ground, the moss like covering an odd shade of purple this time. Oliver and Nngerae joined Wikus and Christopher for food and drinks as well, before disappearing off for some unknown reason.

Probably to give Wikus and Christopher privacy, of which there was none at the festival.

It was like an ant's nest, thriving with life and covered completely in Polepkwan. It was a dizzing sight.

"Where are the blossoms?" Wikus asked, noticing no flowers in the area.

"They don't bloom until night," Christopher explained, arms wrapped around his intended. "That is why the courting is in the evening, just before the blooms finally open."

"Oh." Wikus nodded, amused that everyone had come out so early then, simply to drink a bubbly concoction which Wikus supposed was like their alcohol, and eat food which still looked like catfood.

"Are you not enjoying the festival?" Christopher wanted to know, brushing his fingers across Wikus' cheek.

"I am," Wikus hurried to assure, smiling."It's just...a bit much."

Christopher laughed and drew his future partner to his feet. "Then come with me. We will go somewhere quiet," he promised.

Wikus would have followed him anyway, but he was grateful for the promise of quiet.

.

.

The place of quiet turned out to be a lovely little smaller clearing, not that far from the festival. It had a few other couples in it, who smiled at Wikus and Christopher but did not approach them, returning to their own conversations instead. Wikus was grateful and sat beside Christopher beside one of the laying trees.

"Better?" Christopher asked, no longer needing to shout for Wikus to hear him.

"Much," Wikus assured him, leaning into his chest.

They could hear the noise of the nearby festival continuing and it was only when the dark began to fall did the noise fade.

"Those who are not courting are leaving," Christopher explained quietly, reluctant to go back to the festival and the noise. He and Wikus had be talking amongst themselves for hours, and the idea of returning to noise was unappealing.

"Shouldn't we be going back to the festival then?" Wikus asked, but made no attempt to move.

"Yes," Christopher agreed with a sigh.

Many of the other couples had risen and were now slowly walking back towards the festival grounds, leaving Wikus and Christopher on their own.

"Can't we stay here and still be 'courting'?" Wikus asked.

"No," Christopher laughed. "I wish we could, but it must be official." He groaned and pushed himself to his feet, dragging Wikus up as well. "We must make an appearance at least."

Wikus sighed but walked back to the festival, hand entwined with Christopher's like it had been all night.

.

.

Returning to the festival grounds, Wikus spotted Amelia and Joseph eating what looked a little like fruit - though they ate the outside and threw away the core, rather then the other way around. The couples were all segregated off in pairs. There was no groups and Wikus realised that it truly was only the couples.

"What now?" Wikus asked Christopher, laughing as Christopher simply raised a fruit to offer to Wikus.

"It's tradition," Christopher admitted. "Soon the other members will return and we will go and see the blooms, but for now, the couples must eat the fruit."

A weird tradition, yes, but Wikus found that most of the Polepkwan life was weird, so he accepted the fruit, waiting to see how Christopher ate it before attempting it himself. "Are all of your festivals centered around food?" Wikus asked, attempting to bite the skin of the fruit.

"Yes." Christopher sounded amused, and Wikus realised it was not from his question, but rather from watching Wikus try to eat the fruit. Wikus scowled at him, and made a disapproving noise, causing the male to laugh and go back to eating his own fruit. "Food and nature. That is the reasons we celebrate."

Not too much different from earth then, Wikus thought, if nature was replaced by 'alcohol', it was be exactly the same.

"Is Nngerae and Oliver here?" Wikus asked suddenly, remembering the younger pair. Both parents began to scan the grounds, releaved to find Oliver no where in sight. "Hey, Nngerae was telling the truth. They actually aren't courting," Wikus remarked, unsure of if he should be happy or not.

"Good." Christopher clearly had no problem deciding how to feel. "Oliver is too young."

Wikus hid a smile and continued to eat his fruit. It was more bitter then others he had tried but not bad. The texture was that of a sponge though, a less appealing texture then earth fruit.

.

.

Soon, the festival was crowded again, and Oliver had reclaimed his place between his fathers, Nngerae no where in sight.

"He's with his family," Oliver explained, "now that the courting is over and you two can 'watch out for me' again." He was quoting something the guard had said, apparently, from the exasperated look on the youth's face.

Wikus grinned. "You do need a guardian," he mused, chuckling as Oliver huffed. He wrapped his arm around the boy, and turned his gaze back towards the huge flowers. They were at the front of the group, thanks to Christopher's hero status, so he was able to see them clearly.

The flowers themselves, even with their petals tightly coiled in, were huge. Bigger then cars on earth and vibrant colours he had never thought to see in flowers. Different hues of blue and greens mixed together on the petals, making a marble-like texture to the flower's petals, even without being opened.

"Do they take long to open?" Wikus asked, curiously watching the sun slip beneath the horizon slowly.

"Only a few minutes," Christopher said, arm around Oliver and Wikus. "Shh. It's starting."

As soon as the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, the orange light which had been reflecting across the sky gone, the flowers began to shift noticeable. Excited whirling started in the crowd and Wikus watched with wide eyes as the outer petals began to pull away, revealing petal after petal beneath them.

It may have taken minutes, or hours, Wikus did not think to count, as the huge blooms began to reveal the full extent of their size. With the petals extended, they were larger then some buses on earth, but far more beautiful then they would ever be. The colours seemed to shine in the night as the moons glow cast down upon them.

A cheer went up in the crowd as the final bloom opened, and once again, the food was passed around and the drinks supplied to all who requested one.

The festival had begun a new, this time with a quieter tone. The food was eaten softly, and the drinks drunk quietly, before a line began to form to reach the blossoms. Each Polepkwan moved forward, selecting a blossom and touching it gently. They would whisper something into the coil of petals and then move on, back to their loved ones.

"They are telling the blossoms their hopes for this year," Christopher explained quietly. "So that our land may hear and bless us like it has blessed the flowers with beauty and life."

"Ah," Wikus said, staring at the long line. "Will you- ?"

Christopher nodded. "Yes, it is tradition." Tradition seemed as important here as it had been on earth.

"Then I will to," Wikus agreed, and soon they found themselves in line, Oliver behind them, chattering about what he had hoped for the year before, but had been unable to ask the blossoms since he had been in space.

This would be the first time in years that the duo were able to ask the land for something and Wikus wondered if it would work. Or if the land would even listen to him, since he was not born as they were and this was not his home.

He hesitated when it came to his turn, and stepped forward. He selected a smaller blossom, one who's petals did not glow quite as bright. Not many had selected his one, perhaps due to it's imperfections but Wikus liked it.

It was like him.

Similar, but still different from all the others.

He touched the petals, surprised to feel they were warm and not cold to the touch. Leaning in, he hesitated before whispering, "I was never big on hope. I had everything I thought I needed back on earth. Now, I think I have everything I actually need." He paused, glancing back at Oliver, who was whispering into some flower, and Christopher, standing off to the side watching them both with what could only be a loving expression on his face.

"I hope I am happy here," he told the flower. "I hope I can keep this love I found. I hope...that this will be a home to me, because I don't want to leave again." He touched the flower again, feeling the petals heat beneath his touch.

He smiled and stepped away, meeting Oliver on his way back to Christopher and linking arms with his son.

"What did you hope for?" Oliver asked. There was no superstition which said that it was wrong to tell, but some kept it private anyway.

"For you," Wikus said, as they reached Christopher's side, "and for your father - to never get tired of me." That was one way of putting it, without admitting it completely.

Christopher looked amused and drew Wikus into his arms. "You do not need to hope, because that will never happen," he assured his future partner.

"I hoped for siblings," Oliver announced, horrifying both Wikus and Christopher. The boy whirled with laughter at the horror etched upon the males' faces, and was unable to stop long enough to tell them that it had been a joke.

.

.

Although the festival was over, and many were returning, Wikus and Christopher stayed - as did a few others. Oliver was beside them, resting against Wikus tiredly, and making the occasional whirl as Wikus rubbed his arm soothingly.

"Who do they announce their partnership to?" Wikus asked quietly, watching as couples paired up for the final ceremony of the night.

"Nobody and everybody," Christopher said. "It is not said to one person, it is said to _everything_, so that everything on this planet knows who they have claimed."

That was...adorable, Wikus decided, and rather romantic. He smiled at Joseph and Amelia who were taking their place on the grounds. Sitting together, the couple smiled back at them, and glanced up at the moons.

All seven had to be visible, else the partnership was not real.

Moments passed as the couples waited on baited breath for the last moon to become visible.

Finally, it slipped into view, the tiny speck hardly a moon at all compared to the others, but important none the less.

Couples began to speak up, announcing their partnership.

Several couples later, Joseph stood, catching Wikus' attention. "I, H'ahrll, announce my partnership with Tai'rrr."

Amelia stood, linking her hand with Joseph's. "I, Tai'rrr, announce my partnership with H'ahrll."

There was no cheer, just silent acknowledgement as the couple returned to their seat, now bound in the eyes of everything.

Wikus, in a moment of crazy impulse, thought of standing and announcing his partnership to Umhjer, to Christopher, but the weight of Oliver at his side stopped him. He glanced at the boy who'd become a son, and glanced back at the man who would be his partner some day, and found that he really didn't want it to change just yet. This new life wasn't fancy, or complicated. He didn't have wealth or jewels. He had family again, and Wikus hadn't quite realised how much he had missed that.

He didn't really even know what being partners actually meant, he didn't know if this was what Christopher wanted, and how Oliver would handle it. They were courting, officially, and maybe next year - or next festival, since Wikus wasn't sure how often this actually happened - they would announce themselves.

But, for now, Wikus was happy just being Roi'jerrrl, the future partner of Umjher and someday the official father (though at the moment, merely a comfortable pillow) to Faerr'le.

.

.

_F i n _

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**Author's Note: **

**Sappy ending? Perhaps, but I'm a sap at heart.  
**

**It's weird to think of this as 'over'. It was suppose to be a fun little project to get me back into writing, which it certainly did. I am very pleased that it is over the 50k word mark, as I'd hoped I would. **

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed this story at any point, added this story to their favourites or their alerts. Your support was very much appreciated and I was very grateful for it! The reviews for the last chapter made me happy, but sad, as I knew I was finishing this story and so many asked for 'more' of this story. There may be an epilogue added, but for now, this story is finished.**

**Thank you all again for your support! Now is the time to review, even if you haven't reviewed before, and let me know how you found the story. I appreciate all feedback.  
**

**Much love,**

**-Liaa  
**


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